Indian Navy to launch its first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft in Visakhapatnam soon

Marking a significant milestone in India’s maritime defense capabilities, the Indian Navy will commission its first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), Arnala, at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam on 18 June 2025. The commissioning ceremony will be graced by General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff, and hosted by Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command. The event will bring together senior naval leadership, distinguished guests, shipbuilders, and other key stakeholders involved in the project.

Named after the historic Arnala Fort located off Maharashtra’s Vasai coast, the vessel reflects India’s rich maritime heritage. The choice of name not only commemorates the strategic legacy of coastal fortifications but also underlines the Navy’s commitment to celebrating national history through its fleet.

Built to operate in coastal and shallow waters, INS Arnala is a compact but formidable 77-meter-long warship designed specifically for anti-submarine warfare. What sets it apart is its Diesel Engine-Waterjet propulsion system, making it the largest Indian naval ship to use such a combination. The vessel’s low acoustic signature, speed, and agility make it a vital asset for detecting and neutralising underwater threats close to shorelines.

Constructed in adherence to the standards set by the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS), the ship is a showcase of homegrown engineering. A remarkable 80% of the vessel has been built indigenously, primarily by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, and delivered to the Navy at the Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Shipyard in Kattupalli under a successful Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

Arnala is the first of eight ASW Shallow Water Crafts that are planned to be inducted and was officially handed over to the Indian Navy on 8 May. This move significantly boosts India’s shallow-water defense capabilities, especially in an era of increasingly complex undersea threats.

Beyond its technical prowess, INS Arnala is emblematic of India’s growing self-reliance in defense manufacturing. The Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft which will be launched by Indian Navy on 18 June stands as a testament to the Whole-of-Nation Approach discussed at the Future Warfare Course (FWC 2.0) and aligns with the national mission of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The successful collaboration between public and private sector entities in its construction reaffirms India’s ability to build advanced warships domestically and reduce dependency on foreign suppliers.

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