New Delhi, January 17
Though it is not known whether the Indian Navy has already been armed with nuclear weapons, this smallest of the three services can be equipped with nukes at a short notice.

According to well-placed sources here, the task of nuclear weaponisation of the Navy at short notice can be accomplished by Club Missiles which are nuclear-capable and have already been inducted into the Navy. The 300-km range missiles were purchased from Russia last year and have provision for carrying nuclear warheads.

Besides, the Navy can also pin hopes on Brahmos missiles project on which it is working in collaboration with Russia. The name ‘Brahmos’ is a combination of Brahamputra and Moscova, two major rivers of India and Russia. The high-versatility missile is going to have a range of 280 km.

While the army and the air force are having nuclear weapons, it has been the navy which has been clamouring for the nukes. Though the Indian Nuclear Doctrine talks of building up a triad of nuclear weapons — that is acquiring the capability of launching nuclear weapons from land, air and sea — the triad-capability is yet to be achieved.

According to sources, it would still take some time for the government to take care of the third leg of the triad — the Navy — as far as arming the force with nuclear weapons is concerned.

Admiral Madhvendra Singh, who recently took over as the new Chief of Naval Staff, had at a Press conference yesterday declined to confirm or deny whether the Navy had nuclear weapons.