Indian Navy Receives ‘Most Silent Ship’ To Track Submarines In Shallow Seas

In a major development, the Indian Navy has received its first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), named INS Arnala, on May 8, 2025, by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, at L&T’s Shipyard in Kattupalli, Tamil Nadu.

Arnala is the first of the eight ASW SWCs being built by GRSE under a contract with the Indian Navy. A simultaneous contract was also signed with another Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) shipyard for building eight more such vessels, making it a total of 16 ASW SWCs.

The ship was indigenously designed by GRSE and has been built under the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) classification rules. It is also the result of India’s first-of-its-kind Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in the defense sector, with GRSE collaborating with L&T Shipyard for its construction.

This model has been viewed as a successful example of how PSU and private expertise can come work together for defence production.

#GRSE created history today with the delivery of INS Arnala, the first ship of the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) class, to the #IndianNavy. The acceptance documents (D448) were signed by Cmde PR Hari, IN (Retd), Chairman & Managing Director, GRSE, and Cdr… pic.twitter.com/ublNoFL590

— GRSE – Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (@OfficialGRSE) May 8, 2025

The ship is named after the historic island ‘Arnala’, located off the coast of Vasai in Maharashtra. The fort on Arnala island has long been a symbol of coastal defence, making it a fitting name for this submarine-hunting warship.

The 77.6 meter long and 10.5 meter wide ship is powered by three marine diesel engines connected to waterjets, making it highly agile and maneuverable in shallow waters. Its draft of just 2.7 meters enables it to patrol close to the coastline where enemy submarines may be hiding.

GRSE stated that Arnala has been developed as a ‘most silent ship,’ a critical quality for anti-submarine operations. In recognition of this achievement, the shipyard was awarded the Raksha Mantri’s Award in 2022 for designing Arnala.

Despite being smaller than earlier Kamorta-class ASW corvettes built by GRSE, Arnala is a powerful vessel. It is equipped for full-scale sub-surface surveillance, Search and Attack missions, and coordinated operations with aircraft.

It also features a Combat Management System and will be armed with lightweight torpedoes and anti-submarine rockets.

The vessel can carry out search and rescue missions, mine laying, and Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO). The warship will operate with a crew of 57 personnel, including seven officers.

The Arnala has an indigenous content of nearly 88%, aligning with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) mission.

After this successful delivery, GRSW is currently building 16 more warships. These include three P17A advanced stealth frigates, seven more ASW Shallow Water Crafts, two Survey Vessels (Large), and four Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (NGOPVs).

Apart from these, the shipyard is also working on 24 other vessels, including nine export platforms.

Reference: GRSE

Source: Maritime Shipping News