Indian Navy to commission first anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft Arnala on June 18

The Indian Navy will commission its first anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft, INS Arnala, on June 18 in Visakhapatnam. Built by GRSE under Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the vessel symbolizes resilience, precision, and maritime defence strength.

New Delhi: Indian Navy will be commissioning its first anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASW-SWC), christened as “Arnala”, at Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam on June 18 in the presence of chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan.

The ceremony will be hosted by Vice Adm Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, which will also mark the formal induction of the first of the 16 ASW-SWC class ships into the Indian Navy.

Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative in defence

Designed and constructed by Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with L&T Shipbuilders, the Indian Navy said that the Arnala is a testament to the success of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative in defence manufacturing.

Delivered to the Indian Navy on May 8, the crest of Arnala features a stylised Auger Shell set against a blue backdrop, with the ship's name inscribed in Devanagari script at the base.

The Auger Shell, known for its spiralled, reinforced structure and precision tip, symbolises resilience, vigilance, survival, and dominance in challenging environments, which mirrors the essence of the ship built to withstand the relentless forces of the ocean and undertake flawless anti-submarine operations with precise ordnance on target.

Arnala: The name and the strengths

The Indian Navy said that the name Arnala is derived from the historic Arnala Fort, which is situated approximately 13-km north of Vasai in Maharashtra.

The Arnala Fort was constructed in 1737 by the Marathas under the leadership of Chimaji Appa.

It was strategically positioned to oversee the Vaitarna River's mouth, serving as a sentinel over the northern Konkan coast.

“Much like the fort, which stood resilient against various invaders, the ship is designed to be a formidable presence at sea. Its robust construction and advanced capabilities ensure that it can withstand the challenges of the maritime domain, safeguarding India's waters from emerging threats,” Indian Navy spokesperson Captain Vivek Madhwal said.

“The ship's armoured hull mirrors the fort’s enduring stone walls, while its state-of-the-art weaponry and sensors replace the cannons that once defended against invaders.”

“Arnala embodies the strategic might and historical significance of its namesake, proving that while battlefields may change, the spirit of defence remains unwavering, whether on land or at sea.”

Beneath the ship's crest, a ribbon gracefully unfurls, proudly displaying the ship’s motto: “Arnave Shauryam”, meaning “Valour in the Ocean”.