Indian Navy's Anti-Submarine Warfare Capabilities Set To Expand With Commissioning Of Shallow Water Craft 'Arnala' On 18 June

The Indian Navy is set to commission the first of 16 anti-submarine warfare shallow watercraft in Visakhapatnam, Times of India reported.

The first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), INS Arnala, will be commissioned at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, on 18 June.

The INS Arnala is the first of 16 specialised shallow watercraft designed for anti-submarine warfare and low-intensity maritime operations along the coast.

The ceremony will be presided over by Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan.

Built by Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in collaboration with L&T Shipbuilders, INS Arnala is a 77-meter-long warship with a displacement of 1,490 tonnes.

It features state-of-the-art underwater sensors and is the largest Indian warship so far to be propelled by a diesel engine-waterjet combination.

Designed for a range of Anti-Submarine warfare operations, Arnala is equipped to conduct Subsurface Surveillance, Search and Rescue missions, and Low-Intensity Maritime Operations.

"The warship incorporates over 80 per cent indigenous content and integrates advanced systems from leading Indian defence firms, including Bharat Electronics Limited, L&T and Mahindra Defence," an officer was quoted as saying by ToI.

The 16 warships, costing a total of Rs 12,622 crore, are being constructed at Indian shipyards under two contracts signed in April 2019. 

GRSE and Cochin Shipyard are each building eight vessels, with all deliveries scheduled to be completed by 2028.

Named after the historic Arnala Fort near Vasai in Maharashtra, INS Arnala reflects India’s rich maritime heritage and marks a significant step in enhancing the Navy’s coastal defence capabilities.

The Navy’s induction of these warships will boost indigenous manufacturing and strengthen its anti-submarine warfare capacity in shallow waters.

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