In a major boost to India’s coastal defence and indigenous shipbuilding capabilities, the Indian Navy is set to commission ‘INS Arnala’, the first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam on June 18, 2025.
The commissioning ceremony will be presided over by Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Anil Chauhan, and hosted by Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command. Senior naval officers, shipbuilders, and stakeholders involved in the project will be in attendance.
‘Arnala’ is the first of sixteen ASW-SWC class vessels built under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, designed and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, in collaboration with L&T Shipbuilders under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
Delivered to the Navy on May 8, 2025, the warship is named after the historic Arnala Fort off Vasai, Maharashtra, symbolising maritime resilience. True to its namesake, the vessel is built for durability and operational strength in shallow waters, equipped for subsurface surveillance, search and rescue, and low-intensity maritime operations.
At 77.6 metres in length and displacing over 1,490 tonnes, Arnala is the largest Indian naval vessel powered by a Diesel Engine-Waterjet propulsion system. It boasts over 80% indigenous content, integrating systems developed by key Indian defence firms such as BEL, L&T, Mahindra Defence, and MEIL, with participation from over 55 MSMEs, thereby stimulating domestic industry and local employment.
The induction of Arnala comes in the backdrop of India asserting its indigenous defence prowess through various platforms. On June 5, Dassault and Tata announced a landmark deal to manufacture Rafale fighter fuselages in Hyderabad, while the success of Operation Sindoor showcased India’s wartime readiness with indigenous military assets.
The commissioning of Arnala is not just a naval milestone, but a powerful statement of India’s emergence as a self-reliant maritime power in the strategically crucial Indian Ocean Region, as the Make in Bharat initiative continues to yield tangible results in the defence sector.
