Involving the Ricci curvature and the squared mean curvature, we obtain a basic inequality for a submanifold of an S-space form tangent to structure vector fields. Equality cases are also discussed. As applications we find corresponding results for almost semi-invariant submanifolds, $ heta$-slant submanifolds, anti-invariant submanifold and invariant submanifolds. A necessary and sufficient condition for a totally umbilical invariant submanifold of an S-space form to be Einstein is obtained. The inequalities for scalar curvature and a Riemannian invariant $Theta_k$ of different kind of submanifolds of a S-space form $ ilde{M}(c)$ are obtained.