Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has reached another milestone in its ongoing collaboration with the Indian Navy by laying the keel for the sixth Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC). The construction is part of a contract to deliver eight such advanced vessels designed to bolster India’s coastal defence capabilities., the Defence Ministry said on Wednesday.
The keel-laying ceremony of the sixth ship (BY 528, Magdala) was held on December 17 at CSL’s facility in Kochi, with Rear Admiral Satish Shenai, Chief Staff Officer (Training) of the Southern Naval Command, presiding over the event. Senior naval officers, CSL representatives, and officials from the DNV Classification Society were also present to mark the occasion.
The contract for these vessels was signed in April 2019 between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and CSL. Named the Mahe class, these ships are set to replace the ageing Abhay-class ASW corvettes currently in service. The release said that designed for coastal anti-submarine operations, the Mahe-class vessels are also equipped for Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO), mine-laying tasks, and subsurface surveillance.
Each ASW-SWC is capable of achieving speeds up to 25 knots and will be outfitted with state-of-the-art, indigenously developed SONAR systems for underwater detection and surveillance. It aligns with India’s push for technological self-reliance under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, showcasing the country’s growing expertise in building high-tech warships with significant indigenous content.
According to CSL, five of the eight vessels in the series have already been launched and are currently in various stages of outfitting, which include machinery and system installation. The first ship is slated for delivery by March 2025.
This project underscores India’s expanding shipbuilding capabilities and its commitment to modernizing naval infrastructure to address emerging maritime challenges.
Team BharatShakti
