INS Arnala, the first of 16 domestically-built new anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvettes, has entered into active service with the Indian Navy.
She is the first of a new class of littoral vessels, which the Indian Navy describes as Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC). The ship was commissioned into service in a ceremony at the Visakhapatnam Naval Dockyard on Wednesday.
The 77-metre warship, named after an historic coastal fort off Maharashtra, displaces about 1,500 tonnes, and is powered by a diesel-driven waterjet which gives her a maximum speed of about 25 knots.
The 16-ship ASW-SWC programme has been valued at about $1.8 billion; eight vessels each are being built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) and Cochin Shipyard (CSL). All 16 ships are scheduled to be delivered by the middle of 2028.
As per an Indian Ministry of Defence press statement, the new vessels have been designed to carry out a broad range of ASW and other operations.
These include underwater surveillance in littoral waters, search-and-destroy missions and coordinated ASW missions in tandem with naval aircraft. They also have air defence, mine-laying, and search-and-rescue (SAR) capabilities.
The statement noted: “The commissioning of INS Arnala not only reinforces India’s defence capability but also highlights the triumph of indigenous design, engineering, and manufacturing.
“As India continues its maritime journey toward greater self-reliance, INS Arnala stands as a proud symbol of national strength, industrial partnership and naval excellence.”
At the ceremony General Anil Chauhan, the Chief of Defence Staff, hailed the Indian Navy’s transition “from a ‘Buyer’s Navy’ to a ‘Builder’s Navy.’”
- You can read more details on the Indian Ministry of Defence website
