The Indian Navy has commissioned the first Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) in Mumbai.

Built by Ernakulam-based Cochin Shipyard, the INS Mahe (P80) features more than 80 percent indigenous components, highlighting the South Asian country’s growing capability in homegrown warship design and construction.

Indian Army Chief Gen. Upendra Dwivedi presided over the event, marking the first time a land forces chief has led a naval commissioning.

Indigenous Technology and Combat Capability

The ship is named after India’s southwestern coastal town of Mahe and carries the motto “Silent Hunters.” It has a crest featuring the historic Urumi sword, symbolizing agility and precision, and an animal mascot, the cheetah, which represents speed and vigilance.

INS Mahe is equipped with advanced sonar, weapons, and communication systems designed to detect, track, and neutralize undersea vessels in shallow coastal waters.

Additionally, it has a compact combat suite that allows sustained operations near shore, integrating seamlessly with larger surface ships, submarines, and air assets.

The ASW-SWC Program

New Delhi’s ASW-SWC program stems from a 2014 plan to field 16 modern shallow-water combatants capable of countering emerging submarine threats.

In 2017, the navy selected Cochin Shipyard Limited, Larsen & Toubro, and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers to construct the fleet. Cochin was awarded eight vessels, while the other two companies received four each.

Cochin’s ships form the Mahe-class, and the remaining platforms make up the Arnala-class. The navy expects all 16 vessels to be delivered before the end of the decade.

Each ASW-SWC has a length of 78 meters (256 feet), a beam of 11 meters (36 feet), and accommodation for up to 57 personnel.

They are armed with a 30-millimeter naval surface gun, 12.7-millimeter stabilized remote control support machine guns, an RBU-6000 213-millimeter rocket launcher, lightweight torpedoes, and anti-submarine mines.

An ASW-SWC is powered by diesel waterjet propulsion for a top speed of 25 knots (46 kilometers/29 miles per hour) and a range of 1,800 nautical miles (3,334 kilometers/2,071 miles).