The Indian Navy marked a significant milestone in its drive toward maritime self-reliance with the formal commissioning of INS Arnala, the first of the Arnala-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), in a ceremony held at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam.
The ship was commissioned in the august presence of General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), along with senior naval officers and dignitaries from the defence and shipbuilding sectors.
INS Arnala has been built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, under the Make in India initiative. It represents a major step forward in indigenously designing and constructing frontline naval platforms to bolster India’s coastal and underwater security capabilities.
The Arnala-class vessels are designed to operate in coastal and shallow waters to detect and neutralize enemy submarines, protect harbours, and undertake search and rescue operations.
Key Features of INS Arnala:
Displacement: Around 800 tonnes
Length: Approx. 78 metres
Speed: Over 25 knots
Crew: 57 personnel
The vessel will be based at Visakhapatnam under the Eastern Naval Command, safeguarding India’s eastern maritime frontier.