2 days ago
Navy to commission Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft on June 18
The Indian Navy is all set to commission its Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) Arnala at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam on June 18.
The event will mark the formal induction of the first of 16 ASW-SWC-class ships into the Navy. Designed and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, under a public-private partnership with L&T Shipbuilders, Arnala was a 'testament to the success of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative in defence manufacturing', a release said.
'Constructed under the guidance of the Directorate of Ship Production and oversight of the Warship Overseeing Teams in Kolkata and Kattupalli, Arnala was delivered to the Indian Navy on May 8, 2025,' said a release.
The commissioning ceremony will be presided over by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan. It will be hosted by Vice-Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command.
The warship incorporates more than 80% indigenous content and integrates advanced systems from leading Indian defence firms, including Bharat Electronics Limited, L&T, Mahindra Defence, and MEIL. The project has engaged over 55 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Designed for a range of anti-submarine warfare operations, Arnala is equipped to conduct sub-surface surveillance, search and rescue missions, and low-intensity maritime operations. The 77-metre-long warship, with a gross tonnage of over 1,490 tonnes, is the largest Indian naval warship to be propelled by a diesel engine-waterjet combination.
'The commissioning of Arnala will mark a transformative moment in India's naval capabilities, strengthening coastal defence and reaffiliate India's position as a self-reliant maritime power in the strategically vital Indian Ocean Region,' it said, adding that it has been named after the historic Arnala Fort off Vasai, Maharashtra.
Constructed in 1737 by the Marathas under the leadership of Chimaji Appa, the fort was strategically positioned to oversee the Vaitarna river's mouth, serving as a lookout post over the northern Konkan coast.
The crest of Arnala features a stylised auger shell set against a blue backdrop, with the ship's name inscribed in Devanagari script at the base. 'The Auger Shell, known for its spiralled, reinforced structure and precision tip, symbolises resilience, vigilance, survival, and dominance in challenging environments, which mirrors the essence of the ship built to withstand the relentless forces of the ocean and undertake flawless anti-submarine operations with precise ordnance on target,' said an official.
