Defense Minister A.K. Antony told India’s parliament last May that Arihant might enter service in the first half of 2013.
This capability would complete India’s nuclear triad, making the country capable of launching missiles from air, land and sea. The triad’s other elements are the Agni missile with a range up to 3,106 mi., and the Mirage-2000, Su-30MKI and MiG-29 fighters.
Indian defense scientists are developing another SLBM (K-5) with a range of nearly 1,864 mi.