INS Mahe, the first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), has been delivered to the Indian Navy.
The 78-metre warship, the third of 16 ASW SWCs to be delivered under the programme, was handed over to the naval authorities last week; she is expected to be commissioned next month. She displaces about 1,100 tons, and is powered by a diesel-driven waterjet which gives her a maximum speed of about 25 knots.
In total the Kochi shipyard will be responsible for constructing half the ships in the class; the other eight are being built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in partnership with fellow shipbuilder Larsen & Toubro.
All 16 ships are scheduled to be delivered by the middle of 2028. The second ship in the class, INS Androth, was commissioned at the start of October. She was the first of GRSE’s boats to be built at its own yard in Kolkata. First-in-class INS Arnala entered active service in June 2025.
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.
As per a CSL press statement: “Mahe’s delivery is yet another milestone in the Indian Navy’s quest for indigenous shipbuilding and upholding the Government’s vision of ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ [Self-Reliant India] with over 90% indigenous content.”
- You can read more details on the CSL website and the Indian MoD website