Blitz Bureau
IN a major boost to India’s coastal defence capabilities, the Indian Navy commissioned INS Arnala, the first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) vessel, at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam. The vessel strengthens the Navy’s readiness to counter underwater threats in shallow waters.
The commissioning ceremony was presided over by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan. Designed and built indigenously under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. It is the first vessel in the 16-ship ASW-SWC series. It marks a significant enhancement of India’s antisubmarine warfare and coastal surveillance capabilities. The ship is a symbol of self-reliance in defence production, with over 80 per cent indigenous content.
It is equipped for subsurface surveillance, search and rescue operations, and low-intensity maritime missions. The commissioning comes at a time when India is ramping up its overall defence preparedness, with special focus on maritime security in the strategically vital Indian Ocean Region.
The Spokesperson of the Indian Navy at Naval Headquarters & DPR, Ministry of Defence, in a post on its social media handle X, shared the journey of Arnala, from blueprint to a warship. It also posted a video of the journey, highlighting the efforts put into building the warship. Arnala is named after the historic fort ‘Arnala’ located off Vasai, Maharashtra, a reflection of India’s rich maritime heritage.
The 77 m long warship is the largest Indian Naval warship propelled by a Diesel Engine-Waterjet combination. “Arnala’s delivery is yet another milestone in the Indian Navy’s quest for indigenous shipbuilding and upholding the government’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ with over 80 per cent indigenous content,” a government release said.
