In a significant milestone for India’s naval defence and indigenous shipbuilding, the Indian Navy on Thursday received ‘Arnala’, the first in a series of eight indigenously designed Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW-SWCs).
The vessel was formally delivered on May 8, 2025, at L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli, as part of a Public-Private Partnership between Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, and Larsen & Toubro (L&T), the Ministry of Defence announced.
Designed under the classification standards of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS), Arnala is named after the historic coastal fort located off Vasai, Maharashtra, reflecting India’s maritime legacy. At 77 metres in length, Arnala is the largest Indian naval vessel powered by a Diesel Engine-Waterjet combination, marking a technical leap in shallow-water naval engineering.
The ship is tailored for underwater surveillance, search and rescue missions, and Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO). It is also capable of executing coastal anti-submarine warfare operations and is equipped with mine-laying capabilities, significantly enhancing the Navy’s defensive strength in shallow waters.
The Ministry of Defence noted that the vessel has over 80% indigenous content, aligning with the government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative aimed at self-reliance in defence production.
The delivery of Arnala marks a major step forward in India’s push for indigenous warship construction and reaffirms the Navy’s long-term vision of becoming a technologically advanced and self-reliant maritime force.