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In a major boost to India’s maritime security and coastal defence capabilities, the Indian Navy will commission Arnala, the first of 16 indigenously designed and built Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at a ceremony scheduled for June 18. General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff will preside over the event in Visakhapatnam. The vessel, delivered to the Navy on May 8, will mark a key milestone in the country’s quest for self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.
Designed to counter underwater threats in coastal and shallow waters, the ASW-SWC class of ships will replace the ageing Abhay-class corvettes, significantly enhancing the Navy’s ability to safeguard India’s vast 7,500-kilometre coastline and offshore assets.
Constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, and Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi, the project showcases a high degree of indigenous content—over 80%—underscoring India’s growing self-sufficiency in complex naval shipbuilding and advanced defence systems.
INS Arnala is equipped with cutting-edge underwater warfare technologies, including Hull-Mounted Sonar (Abhay), Low-Frequency Variable Depth Sonar (LFVDS), and Underwater Acoustic Communication Systems (UWACS). These sensors are integrated with a modern Combat Management System (CMS) and an Integrated ASW Complex (IAC) to enable seamless underwater threat detection and response.
Its weapons suite includes lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets, mine-laying systems, and anti-torpedo decoy systems, making it a formidable platform for anti-submarine operations. The ship’s design also enables high manoeuvrability in shallow waters, allowing it to conduct coastal surveillance, interdiction, and humanitarian assistance missions with equal ease.
The induction of the ASW-SWC fleet is expected to significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s operational preparedness in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), a strategically vital area that is witnessing increasing underwater activity by regional and extra-regional powers.
The commissioning of INS Arnala is not just a tactical enhancement—it is a strategic signal. It reaffirms India’s capability to design and build frontline warships using indigenous expertise and resources, reducing dependency on foreign suppliers and strengthening national defence resilience.
As the first ship of its class enters service, INS Arnala heralds a transformative chapter for the Indian Navy’s anti-submarine warfare strategy and reflects India’s steady march toward becoming a fully self-reliant maritime power.
Team BharatShakti
