NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy on Wednesday commissioned INS Arnala, the first in a series of 16 Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW-SWC), at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam in the presence of Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.
Built under the Indian Navy’s drive for self-reliance, INS Arnala has been designed to execute a range of missions including anti-submarine warfare, sub-surface surveillance, search and rescue operations, and low-intensity maritime warfare.
“The commissioning of INS Arnala not only reinforces India’s defence capability but also highlights the triumph of indigenous design, engineering, and manufacturing,” the Indian Navy said in a statement.
Key Features of INS Arnala:
- Length: 77.6 metres
- Beam: 10.5 metres
- Tonnage: Over 1,490 tonnes
- Draught: 2.7 metres, enabling coastal access
- Crew: 57 personnel including 7 officers
- Propulsion: Diesel engine-waterjet combination (first of its kind for an Indian warship)
- Armament: Lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets
- Systems: Combat management system, coordination with aircraft for joint ASW operations
- Indigenous Content: Over 80%
INS Arnala was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) in partnership with L&T’s Kattupalli yard. GRSE and L&T will build seven more such vessels, while Cochin Shipyard Limited will construct the remaining eight.
Named after the historic Arnala Fort off the coast of Maharashtra, the warship symbolizes India’s growing maritime self-reliance. Its shallow draught enables effective patrolling of coastal and littoral zones in search of underwater threats.
A ‘Builder’s Navy’
In his address, CDS General Chauhan praised the Indian Navy’s evolution from a “buyer’s navy” to a “builder’s navy,” citing it as the core of India’s blue-water ambitions. He highlighted the Navy’s adoption of indigenous stealth tech, electronic warfare systems, and advanced sensors as part of its march toward complete self-reliance.
“The Navy’s commitment to transforming strategic vision into tangible outcomes through the indigenous route is commendable,” he said, reiterating India’s target to be fully self-reliant in defence manufacturing by 2047.
The induction of INS Arnala is a strategic step toward augmenting India’s coastal defence and ASW capabilities, in line with its vision for a robust and self-reliant maritime force under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.