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Indian Navy has made an important stride by inducting its second Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Shallow Water Craft (SWC), named Androth. The vessel was formally handed over by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, over the weekend. It is scheduled to be commissioned into the Indian Navy later this month.
Named after Androth Island in the Lakshadweep archipelago, this new ASW platform follows the induction of INS Arnala earlier this year in June. A third craft, INS Ajay, was also launched from GRSE in July and is currently undergoing sea trials.
ASW Shallow Water Craft: India’s Strategic Response
India’s fleet of ASW Shallow Water Crafts is specifically designed to neutralise threats like Pakistan’s Chinese submarines, particularly in shallow coastal zones.
About INS Androth and other ships in the class:
- Detection Range: Capable of identifying enemy submarines 100–150 nautical miles from the coast.
- Armament: Equipped with lightweight torpedoes, anti-submarine rocket launchers, a 30mm naval gun, hull-mounted sonar, low-frequency variable depth sonar, and an ASW combat suite.
- Performance: Maximum speed of 25 knots and an operational range of 3,300 km.
- Roles: Besides submarine hunting, these vessels can support coastal surveillance, search and rescue, and low-intensity maritime operations.
These vessels also act as route-clearers for larger warships departing from naval harbours, making them integral to fleet operations.
India’s 16-Ship ASW Program
India’s long-term ASW plan involves the construction of 16 shallow water crafts, a project approved by the Defence Acquisition Council in 2013. The contract, which was awarded in 2019 under the “Buy and Make in India” framework, production is divided between GRSE Kolkata and Cochin Shipyard, with eight ships being built at each location.
Each vessel displaces approximately 1,490 tonnes and measures 77 meters in length. The program represents a significant step toward establishing a self-reliant naval force capable of countering both conventional and asymmetric underwater threats.
Team BharatShakti
