The Ministry of Defence has delivered Arnala, India's first indigenous Anti Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), to the Indian Navy. Designed and primarily constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata with Ms LT Shipyard through a public-private partnership, Arnala showcases collaborative defence manufacturing capabilities. Named after historic Arnala fort in Maharashtra, this 77-meter long ship is propelled by a Diesel Engine-Waterjet combination and designed for underwater surveillance, search and rescue operations, and low-intensity maritime activities.
It's optimised for coastal waters ASW operations alongside advanced mine laying capacities. The delivery marks an enhancement to the Indian Navy's shallow water Anti Submarine Warfare capabilities and aligns with India's initiative towards indigenous shipbuilding (Aatmanirbhar Bharat). The warship boasts over 80% indigenous content, indicating a significant step towards self-reliance in defence.
This delivery signifies progress in the quest for an Indian Navy equipped with domestically designed vessels that support national security and operational requirements.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Defence: The government ministry responsible for defence matters.
ARNALA: The first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) delivered to the Indian Navy.
Indian Navy: The naval branch of the Indian Armed Forces.
08 MAY 2025: Date of the press release regarding the delivery of Arnala.
PIB Delhi: Press Information Bureau, Delhi - the source of the press release.
ASW SWC: Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft - a type of warship.
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers: The company that designed and built the Arnala warship.
GRSE: Abbreviation for Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers.
Kolkata: City in India where Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) is located.
Ms LT Shipyard: Shipyard where the Arnala was delivered to the Indian Navy.
Kattupalli: Location of the Ms LT Shipyard.
Indian Register of Shipping: Classification society whose rules were followed in the design and construction of the Arnala.
IRS: Abbreviation for Indian Register of Shipping.
PublicPrivate Partnership: A collaborative agreement between a government and a private company. In this case, between GRSE and Ms LT Shipyard.
PPP: Abbreviation for PublicPrivate Partnership.
Vasai, Maharashtra: Location near the historic Arnala fort.
Diesel Engine Waterjet: Propulsion system used in the Arnala warship.
Low Intensity Maritime Operations: Type of operations the ship has been designed for.
LIMO: Abbreviation for Low Intensity Maritime Operations.
Aatmanirbhar Bharat: Government of India's vision for self-reliant India, emphasized in the context of indigenous shipbuilding.
Ministry of Defence
DELIVERY OF ‘ARNALA’- FIRST ANTI
SUBMARINE WARFARE SHALLOW WATER
CRAFT TO THE INDIAN NAVY
Posted On: 08 MAY 2025 5:39PM by PIB Delhi
‘Arnala’, the first of the eight ASW SWCs (Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft), indigenously
designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, was delivered to the
Indian Navy on 08 May 25 at M/s L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli.
The warship has been designed and constructed as per the Classification Rules of Indian Register of
Shipping (IRS) under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) of GRSE with M/s L&T Shipyard, thus
demonstrating the success of collaborative defence manufacturing.
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. The ship has been designed for underwater surveillance, search & rescue
operations and Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO). The ship is capable of undertaking ASW
operations in coastal waters, along with advanced mine laying capabilities. The induction of ASW SWC ships
would significantly boost shallow water Anti-Submarine Warfare capabilities of the Indian Navy.
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% indigenous content..
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VM/SKS 100/25
(Release ID: 2127729)