As the great power game continues to simmer in the Indo-Pacific, the United States is investing a whopping $76.6 billion to procure fourteen submarines. India's defence budget for this fiscal year is around $85 billion.

This comes at a time when China is also strengthening its submarine arm. As this new arms race is well underway, the United States has been struggling with an aging submarine fleet. The Columbia-class of nuclear powered ballistic missile launching submarines or SSBNs, which initially began life as the Ohio Replacement Submarine. A dozen Columbia-Class SSBNs are to replace 18 Ohio-Class vessels that were inducted between 1981 (USS Ohio) and 1997 (USS Louisiana).

To reinforce its undersea fleet, the United States Navy has moved to award contracts worth $76.6 billion to General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries for the construction of nine Virginiaâclass attack submarines for $42 billion and five Columbiaâclass ballistic missile submarines for $29.5 billion. The remaining nearly $5 billion will be provided for what is being termed 'workforce improvements' as per the US Naval Institute.

The deal, spread across multiple years, is one of the largest submarine procurement pushes in recent history and reflects Washingtonâs determination to sustain undersea dominance at a time when China is rapidly expanding its own submarine fleet. The Virginiaâclass boats will enhance the Navyâs ability to conduct precision strike, intelligence gathering and antiâsubmarine warfare, while the Columbiaâclass SSBNs are intended to replace the ageing Ohioâclass, ensuring the credibility of Americaâs nuclear deterrent well into the 2080s.

The Columbiaâclass programme was considered a key priority, as these submarines will carry Trident II D5 nuclear missiles and form the backbone of the US strategic deterrent and will form the sea based leg of the nuclear triad. The Virginiaâclass, meanwhile, continues to evolve with Block V variants equipped with Virginia Payload Modules, capable of carrying additional cruise missiles. Together, these acquisitions represent a decisive reinforcement of Americaâs undersea fleet at a time when adversaries are pressing forward. The contracts are also designed to stabilise the supply chain and expand shipyard capacity, addressing delays in submarine production caused by industrial bottlenecks.

Chinaâs submarine buildâup is the most pressing driver of this US push. Beijing has steadily expanded its fleet with advanced nuclear and conventional submarines, including the Typeâ093B nuclear attack submarine and the Typeâ094A SSBN. Estimates suggest China could operate as many as 65 to 70 submarines by the early 2030s, with a growing emphasis on quieter hull designs, advanced sonar suites and longerârange ballistic missiles, according to the US Naval Institute. This expansion of assets and capability is part of a broader Chinese maritime strategy aimed at challenging the US in the IndoâPacific.

Pakistan, too, is expanding its undersea capabilities, adding eight Typeâ039 Hangorâclass submarines to its existing fleet of five. This will give Islamabad a total of 13 submarines, the first of these vessels, PNS Hangor, has been inducted.

The Indian Navy, on the other hand, currently operates 16 conventional dieselâelectric submarines across three classes, which are, Kalvari, Sindhughosh and Shishumar. Four Sindhughoshâclass boats have already been retired, while the Shishumar class has undergone midâlife upgrades to extend service for another decade. The Kalvari class, based on the French Scorpène design, is expected to receive indigenously developed Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems, which will give these submarines additional time submerged under water, thereby increasing survivability.

The longâdelayed Projectâ75I programme, part of the Navyâs thirtyâyear submarine building plan first outlined in 1999, envisages the procurement of six to nine Typeâ214 submarines from TKMS, equipped with AIP systems. However, delays have dulled the edge of Indiaâs conventional submarine fleet, which was originally intended to reach 24 boats by 2030.

On the SSBN side, India has made more progress. The Navy operates three Arihantâclass SSBNs (part of the Advanced Technology Vessel programme), with a fourth undergoing trials. These boats carry the Kâ4 missile with a range of 3,500 km and the Kâ5 missile with a range of 5,000 km, providing credible secondâstrike capability. Work is also underway on the larger S5 class, expected to carry the Kâ6 Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs) which has a slated range of over 5,000 km, significantly extending Indiaâs nuclear deterrence envelope.

The US submarine contracts highlight the scale at which Washington is investing to maintain undersea superiority against China. For India, the lesson is clear: while progress on SSBNs has been steady, delays in conventional submarine acquisition risk leaving gaps in deterrence and sea denial capabilities. With China expanding and Pakistan modernising, New Delhiâs ability to accelerate Projectâ75I and sustain its nuclear submarine programme will be critical to maintaining balance in the Indian Ocean.