India, Dec. 2 -- India is on course to strengthen its strategic forces with a new locally-made nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine named Aridaman, with navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Tuesday confirming that it will be commissioned into service soon.

"Aridaman is in the final stages of trials and it will be commissioned soon," Tripathi said. The navy chief's comments on the latest development in India's top secret nuclear submarine programme came at his annual media briefing ahead of Navy Day on December 4. Aridaman will be the navy's third Arihant-class submarine, and will serve as an undetectable launch platform for missiles armed with nuclear warheads.

Aridaman is set to be commissioned early next year, followed by a ...