Undersea warfare focus

Navies worldwide are investing considerable resources in autonomous maritime systems for undersea warfare and multi-domain operations. India commissions INS Arihant and Arighat, accelerates submarine projects, and pursues DRDO-developed undersea technologies alongside India-US anti-submarine warfare collaboration.

Undersea Warfare and Autonomous Maritime Systems:

Dimension	Key Details
Autonomous systems	Comprises Uncrewed Undersea Vehicles (UUVs), Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs), and ship-launched Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
UUV deployment mechanism	Comprises UUVs that can be deployed and recovered through a submarine's torpedo tube.
USV capability	Comprises USVs endowed with vertical launch systems.
Ship-launched UAV role	Comprises ship-launched UAVs capable of performing multi-domain ISR and targeting operations.
Operational focus	Provides for protection of critical undersea infrastructure, including subsea cables and pipelines, while ensuring strategic deterrence through secure second-strike capabilities.
India commissioned platforms	Has commissioned INS Arihant and Arighat.
India submarine projects	Comprises Project 75(I) for AIP submarines and Project 77 for indigenous SSNs.
DRDO developments	Comprises DRDO development of AI-enabled autonomous underwater vehicles and a Fibre Optic Sensing System for seabed mapping and submarine detection.
India-US collaboration	Comprises India-US collaboration for anti-submarine warfare (ASW).
Recommendations listed	Comprises recommendations: fast-track Project 75(I) and Project 77; establish a dedicated Seabed Warfare Command for surveillance and protection of critical undersea infrastructure; integrate crewed and uncrewed platforms and deepen Quad/UDA partnerships for co-development of autonomous systems; expand P-8I Poseidon aircraft and Sea Guardian drones for anti-submarine surveillance across key maritime choke points.