---
title: "K-4 SLBM: India's Submarine Missile | Model Diplomat"
description: "The K-4 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile is India's nuclear-capable missile with a 3,500 km range, enhancing the Arihant-class submarines' deterrence."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/k-4-slbm"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The K-4 is an Indian intermediate-range, nuclear-capable submarine-launched ballistic missile developed by the DRDO for the Arihant-class strategic submarines.
- How does the K-4 differ from the K-15 Sagarika?
- Why is the K-4 considered essential to India's nuclear triad?
- What is the cold-launch system used by the K-4?
- Which submarines carry the K-4 and who controls them?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

The K-4 is an Indian intermediate-range, nuclear-capable submarine-launched ballistic missile developed by the DRDO for the Arihant-class strategic submarines.

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In January 2020, India's DRDO test-fired the K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile from a submerged platform off the Visakhapatnam coast, validating the system intended to arm the Arihant-class SSBNs.

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