Indian Navy Commissions First Indigenous Mahe-Class ASW Craft in Mumbai

The Indian Navy marked a significant milestone in its drive towards self-reliance in maritime capability with the commissioning of INS Mahe, the first of the eight Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on November 24, 2025.

The ceremony, hosted by Vice-Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, and presided over by the Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi.

“Today’s ceremony not only marks the induction of a potent new platform to a maritime order of battle, but also reaffirms our nation’s increasing capability to design, construct, and field complex combatants with indigenous technology,” said Gen Dwivedi.

“The commissioning of INS Mahe reaffirms the Navy’s steadfast transformation into Builders’ Navy, one that designs, constructs and sustains its own combat platforms,” he added.

Speaking on integration and jointness, the army Chief observed that “In this age of multi-domain operations, our ability to act in concert from the depths of ocean to the highest frontier will determine the security and influence of our republic. We are in operation every domain from Ladakh to the Indian Ocean, from information warfare to joint logistics of Sindhur was an apt example towards that synergy. The Indian Army too has launched a series of initiatives and an overall umbrella of a decade of transformation in which jointness and integration is an important pillar, recognizing that modern conflicts will be multi-domain, hybrid and require united national strength.”

Touted as a new generation of indigenous shallow-water combatants –sleek, swift, and resolutely Indian – INS Mahe boasts more than 80 per cent indigenous content, underscoring the Navy’s continuing progress in homegrown warship design, construction, and systems integration.

Built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), the vessel embodies the aspirations of the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative in naval shipbuilding. Compact yet powerful, INS Mahe is engineered for agility, endurance, and precision – traits critical for India’s dominance in littoral waters. The ship is designed to function as a “silent hunter,” capable of tracking and engaging submarines, conducting coastal patrols, and safeguarding critical maritime approaches on the Western Seaboard.

INS Mahe also carries cultural and regional symbolism. Named after the historic coastal town of Mahe on the Malabar Coast, the ship’s crest features the ‘Urumi’ – a flexible sword of Kalaripayattu, representing agility, lethal grace, and India’s martial heritage. The crest, unveiled last week, depicts the Urumi rising from the sea, reflecting the ship’s role as a swift and deadly guardian of the nation’s waters.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy has begun preparations for Navy Day 2025, which will be celebrated on December 3 with a major operational demonstration at Shangumugham Beach in Thiruvananthapuram. The event, advanced by a day from its traditional December 4 observance, will showcase naval capabilities, precision operations, and expanding maritime power.

As part of a recent initiative to take Navy Day celebrations beyond major naval bases, previous demonstrations were held in Puri (Odisha) and Sindhudurg (Maharashtra).