Indian Navy Commissions First Indigenous Anti-Submarine Warship ‘INS Arnala’ in Visakhapatnam

New Delhi: In a significant step towards bolstering India’s maritime defence capabilities, the Indian Navy on Wednesday commissioned its first indigenously designed and built Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), INS Arnala, at the naval dockyard in Visakhapatnam under the Eastern Naval Command.

The commissioning of INS Arnala marks a major milestone in India’s journey towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing. Designed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, and built in collaboration with L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli, the warship is the first of eight ASW SWC vessels to be inducted under this indigenous initiative.

The Indian Navy’s official X handle shared a detailed video tracing Arnala’s evolution from blueprint to battleship, celebrating the dedication and technological achievements behind its construction. “India’s first indigenously designed and built Anti Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft is all set to be commissioned today, #18Jun25. We bring to you the Journey of Arnala From Blueprint … to A Warship,” the Navy posted.

INS Arnala is named after the historic coastal fort ‘Arnala’ near Vasai, Maharashtra, paying tribute to India’s enduring maritime legacy.

At 77 metres in length, Arnala is the largest Indian naval ship to be powered by a Diesel Engine-Waterjet propulsion system. The warship is specifically built for operations in shallow waters and is equipped for:

• Underwater surveillance

• Search and rescue missions

• Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO)

• Mine-laying

• Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) in coastal zones

The induction of Arnala is expected to significantly strengthen India’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities in littoral and shallow waters, a key area of strategic concern given the increasing underwater threats in regional seas.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Defence, the ship’s construction adhered to the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) classification rules, and is part of a successful Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model between GRSE and L&T, showcasing the efficacy of collaborative defence manufacturing.

The Defence Ministry emphasized that over 80% of the ship’s components are indigenously sourced, in line with the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) vision of the government. The delivery of Arnala, it stated, is a testament to the Navy’s commitment to indigenous shipbuilding and advancing the nation’s defence industrial base.

With this commissioning, the Indian Navy has taken a decisive step forward in its effort to modernize its fleet with cutting-edge, homegrown maritime assets, reinforcing its operational readiness in the increasingly contested waters of the Indian Ocean Region.