Would Australian SSNs set a proliferation precedent, and why does India want nuclear-powered submarines?
Short answerIndia's geography, trade interests, and strategic concern about China give SSNs practical value as well as prestige. The capability is useful beyond superpowers.
NotesIndia's interest in SSNs combines status with practical strategy. The Indian Ocean is vast, the country depends on global trade, and nuclear-powered submarines could operate farther afield if competition with China extended toward the South China Sea. Border tensions add another reason for India to seek tools that can counterbalance China. Nuclear submarines are not reserved for superpowers: Britain and France also operate them, while China's conventional reach at the time was not yet fully global despite its standing as a major nuclear power. India had already leased Russian nuclear submarines, so it was building on operational experience. The proliferation question therefore sits alongside geography, trade, and regional competition.