INS Arnala: 10 things about India's first home-made anti-submarine warfare small ship

The Indian Navy is all set to commission its first indigenous-built Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam on June 18. Named INS Arnala, the warship is first among the 16 such vessels being designed and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, in partnership with L&T Shipbuilders under a Public-Private Partnership model. The Indian Navy received the delivery of the ship on May 8.

The Indian Navy said in a statement on Friday, “The event marks the formal induction of the first of the sixteen ASW-SWC class ships into the Indian Navy. Designed and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Shipbuilders, Arnala is a testament to the success of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self reliant India) initiative in defence manufacturing."

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Here are key facts to know about INS Arnala

• The warship is mostly indigenous, with over 80 per cent content locally sourced. Most of the systems on this ship have been put together by Indian defence companies such as Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), L&T, Mahindra Defence, and MEIL.

• A total of 55 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) contributed to the development of the ship, helping strengthen domestic defence industries.

• INS Arnala is 77 metres in length with a gross weight of exceeding 14,90 tonnes.

• It employs a Diesel Engine-Waterjet system.

• The Indian Navy can deploy this warship in anti-submarine warfare operations, including subsurface surveillance, search and rescue, and low-intensity maritime missions.

• The name of this ship has been inspired by the historic Arnala Fort off Vasai, Maharashtra. The fort was built by the Marathas in 1737 and is strategically located to face the Vaitarna River mouth.

• The ship’s crest showcases a stylised Auger Shell on a blue backdrop, representing resilience, vigilance, and supremacy in demanding conditions.

• The Auger Shell, with its spiralling, fortified structure and precise tip, embodies resilience, vigilance, survival, and dominance in harsh environments, reflecting the ship’s ability to endure the ocean’s relentless forces and execute precise anti-submarine operations.

• The ship’s motto, “Arnave Shauryam,” written in Devanagari beneath the crest, translates to “Valour in the Ocean,” capturing the vessel’s operational spirit.

• The induction ceremony will be led by General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff, and hosted by Vice Adm Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command.