Indian shipbuilder Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) has launched the future INS Ajay, the final ship it is building under the Indian Navy’s Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) programme.
Senior officials from the Indian Navy and GRSE were present for the launch, which took place last Friday at the GRSE shipyard in Kolkata.
Its first ASW SWC vessel, INS Arnala, was commissioned into service in June 2025; the second, INS Androth, is expected to be delivered to the Navy next month.
Another shipbuilder, Cochin Shipyard (CSL) in Kochi, is building a further eight ASW SWC craft to a slightly differing design.
All 16 ASW SWC corvettes will replace the Abhay-class corvettes and are primarily intended for littoral ASW missions.
The Arnala-class warships are propelled by water jets, sport both hull-mounted and variable-depth sonar suites, and carry anti-submarine rockets and and torpedoes. They are also fitted with a 30mm naval cannon and two 12.7mm remote-controlled weapon stations.
As per a recent press statement from the Indian Ministry of Defence, “[The]… launch of Ajay is a significant milestone in Indian Navy’s continued quest for self-reliance in shipbuilding, weapons, sensors and advanced communication and electronic warfare systems.”
It added: “The warship will augment Indian Navy’s underwater domain awareness, Anti-Submarine Warfare and mine laying capabilities.”
- You can read more details on the Indian MoD website