US Think Tanks Back India’s SSN Initiative to Counter Rising Chinese Submarine Security Challenge

India’s ambitious indigenous nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) programme, widely known as Project 75 Alpha, is increasingly being viewed by American defence analysts as one of the most strategically significant military modernisation efforts underway in the Indo-Pacific. While Washington-based think tanks broadly support the rationale behind India’s decision to build a fleet of hunter-killer submarines, they also caution that the programme represents one of the most technically demanding and financially complex defence projects ever undertaken by the country. Institutions such as the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) and the Stimson Center generally assess India’s SSN programme through two interconnected lenses: strengthening the regional balance against China’s expanding naval presence and developing the industrial capabilities required to sustain a modern nuclear-powered submarine fleet. American analysts argue that the principal driver behind Project 75 Alpha is the rapid expansion of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) into the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Over the past decade, Chinese naval deployments, including nuclear-powered submarines, have become increasingly frequent across the Indian Ocean, supported by logistics facilities such as Djibouti and expanding commercial and strategic access to ports across the region. According to these assessments, India’s existing diesel-electric submarines provide valuable sea-denial capabilities but are constrained by endurance, requiring periodic surfacing or snorkelling to recharge batteries.

Key Takeaways

• Strategic Indian defense modernization.
• Technology induction and operational readiness.