Indian Navy to commission first indigenous ASW shallow water craft Arnala

In a significant milestone for India's maritime defence capabilities, the Indian Navy will commission INS Arnala, the first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam on 18 June 2025. The commissioning ceremony will be presided over by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, and hosted by Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command. The event will be attended by senior naval officials, distinguished guests, and representatives from the shipbuilding industry.

INS Arnala is the first in a series of 16 ASW-SWC class vessels being inducted into the Indian Navy under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. The warship has been designed and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, in collaboration with L&T Shipbuilders under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, reflecting the growing capability and self-reliance of India’s defence manufacturing sector.

Arnala was built under the supervision of the Directorate of Ship Production and Warship Overseeing Teams based in Kolkata and Kattupalli. The vessel draws its name from the historic Arnala Fort off the coast of Vasai, Maharashtra, a symbol of India’s maritime legacy and strategic resilience.

INS Arnala features over 80 per cent indigenous content, integrating cutting-edge systems from major Indian defence companies such as Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), L&T, Mahindra Defence, and MEIL. The project has also actively involved more than 55 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), creating a ripple effect of economic activity and technical growth within the domestic industry.

Purpose-built for Anti-Submarine Warfare operations, the 77.6-meter-long vessel, with a gross tonnage of over 1,490 tonnes, is the largest Indian Naval warship to employ a Diesel Engine-Waterjet propulsion system. It is equipped for subsurface surveillance, search and rescue, and low-intensity maritime operations, positioning it as a crucial asset in securing India’s littoral zones against underwater threats.

The commissioning of INS Arnala marks a major step forward in the Indian Navy’s modernisation and indigenisation efforts and underscores the country’s commitment to bolstering maritime security through home-grown defence capabilities.