New Delhi, June 7, 2025 — In a significant boost to India’s coastal defense capabilities, the Indian Navy is set to commission its first anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASW SWC), INS Arnala, on June 18, 2025. The commissioning ceremony will take place at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam, marking a major milestone in the Navy’s ongoing modernization drive.
INS Arnala is the lead ship of the Arnala-class ASW SWCs, designed to conduct anti-submarine operations in coastal and shallow waters, search and rescue missions, and maritime surveillance in littoral zones. The vessel is named after the strategically located island of Arnala, located off the Maharashtra coast, symbolizing its role in near-shore security.
Developed under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, Arnala has been built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, one of India’s premier shipbuilding companies. The ship was launched in December 2022 and has since undergone rigorous sea trials.
Key Features of Arnala-Class Vessels:
- Displacement: ~800 tonnes
- Length: Approximately 77 meters
- Speed: 25 knots (approx.)
- Endurance: Over 1,800 nautical miles
- Armament: Lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets, and close-in weapon systems
- Sensors: State-of-the-art sonar and radar systems for sub-surface and surface surveillance
- Crew: Around 57 personnel
The ships are fitted with advanced acoustic sensors and communication suites, making them highly capable in detecting and neutralizing enemy submarines in shallow waters—an area where larger warships have limited effectiveness.
Strategic Importance
India’s extensive coastline of over 7,500 km and critical maritime trade routes make shallow water security a national priority. The induction of INS Arnala signifies a focused approach to coastal defense, underwater threat detection, and sea lane security. As the first of eight vessels in this class, it lays the foundation for a broader shallow water warfare strategy.
Senior naval officials, defense ministry dignitaries, and representatives from GRSE are expected to attend the commissioning ceremony.
The Arnala-class is expected to progressively replace the aging Abhay-class corvettes, filling a critical gap in India’s maritime defense. With indigenous content exceeding 80%, the class is also a testament to India’s growing self-reliance in naval shipbuilding.
The commissioning of INS Arnala marks not just the arrival of a new vessel, but the dawn of a new operational capability in safeguarding India’s coastal waters.
Discover more from Allycaral
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
