The Indian Navy has received ‘Arnala’, the first of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW SWCs), at L&T Shipyard in Kattupalli, Tamil Nadu.
The vessel has been designed and built indigenously by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) under a collaborative public-private initiative with L&T Shipyard.
The delivery marks a key development in the Indian Navy’s efforts toward self-reliance in defence production. Over 80% of the ship’s components are sourced domestically.
The Indian Ministry of Defence signed contracts with GRSE and Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) in April 2019 to construct eight ASW SWC ships each. They are part of Make in India initiative.
The GRSE constructed vessels are designated as Arnala-class and ones built by CSL are designated as Mahe-class vessels.
The ASW SWC are set to replace the existing Abhay-class corvettes currently in service. The Abhay-class corvettes entered service with the Indian Navy in 1989.
Constructed under the Indian Register of Shipping’s classification rules, the ASW SWC ships are built for underwater surveillance, search and rescue missions, and Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO).
These ships operate at a top speed of 25 knots with an endurance of 1,800 nautical miles.
Measuring 77 metres in length, the warships are fitted with a diesel engine-waterjet propulsion system.
The anti-submarine warfare vessels are also equipped with an array of armaments including lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets, and mines. Additionally, they feature a 30mm naval surface gun and a pair of 16.7mm stabilised remote-controlled guns that are integrated with optronic control systems.
In October 2024, GRSE launched ‘Abhay’, the seventh ASW SWC at the same L&T facility. The fifth and sixth ships were launched in March of the same year.
CSL is partnering with Smart Engineering & Design Solutions (SEDS) and Surma for the production of its eight ASW-SWC vessels. SEDS is tasked with delivering comprehensive design services for the vessel, while Surma is handling the provision of naval survivability management systems.
In late 2023, CSL launched the first three ASW SWC ships followed by keel laying of the fourth and fifth ships.
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