India kickstarts process to build 6 nuclear-powered attack submarines

NEW DELHI, Dec 1:India has kick-started the process to build six nuclear-powered attack submarines which will significantly boost the Navy�s overall strike capabilities in the face of China�s growing military manoeuvring in the Indo- Pacific region.�It has kicked off and I will leave it at that. It is a classified project. The process has started,� Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba said today. He said the Navy will play its role in the Indo-Pacific region when the much talked about quadrilateral coalition among India, Australia, Japan and the US takes shape, reflecting the the Navy�s readiness to play a much assertive role in the critical sea lanes.In a major move, officials of the four countries earlier this month had set the ball rolling to pursue their common interests in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region where China has been aggressively expanding its military presence.�We are all aware of the prevailing security scenario in our maritime domain. The continued presence of both traditional and non-traditional threats in the maritime domain demand constant attention and robust mitigating measures,� he told a press conference. On Chinese presence in the strategically-important Gwadar port in Pakistan, he said it may be a security challenge for India in future. �It will be a security challenge. We will have to look at it and mitigate,� he said. (PTI)