What is INS Arnala? 5 key facts about Indian navy’s first anti-submarine shallow water warship
Edited By Subhadra Srivastava
Published: Jun 07, 2025, 17:37 IST | Updated: Jun 07, 2025, 19:14 IST
The warship, INS Arnala is the first of 16 ASW-SWC class ship being constructed under a Public-Private Partnership between the Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, and L&T Shipbuilders.
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(Photograph: X / GRSE)
India’s First Indigenous ASW Shallow Water Vessel
The Indian Navy will commission INS Arnala, its first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), on June 18, at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam. The warship, INS Arnala is the first of 16 ASW-SWC class ship being constructed under a Public-Private Partnership between the Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, and L&T Shipbuilders. The project has been executed under the 'self-resilient India' initiative and is a significant fleet in India’s indigenous defence production capabilities.
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(Photograph: Reuters / Representational Image)
Indigenous Systems and Industry Participation
Some of the key facts of the warship includes: The warship incorporates over 80 per cent indigenous components. The ship has been built by the contribution of Indian defence companies including Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), L&T, Mahindra Defence, and MEIL, in its key systems. The project also includes 55 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
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(Photograph: X / GRSE)
Operational Capabilities
INS Arnala has been designed for anti-submarine warfare in coastal waters. The vessel, with 77 metres length and a weight of over, 1,490 tonnes is built with the capabilities of subsurface surveillance, search and rescue, and low-intensity maritime operations. It uses a diesel engine-waterjet propulsion system, hence making it the largest Indian naval warship powered by this type of system.
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(Photograph: PTI / Representational Image)
Historic Inspiration
The name ‘Arnala’ takes inspiration from the renowned Arnala Fort near Vasai, Maharashtra, and carries forward its legacy in coastal defence. The fort was built by the Marathas in 1737 to guard the Vaitarna River and the northern Konkan coast.
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(Photograph: X / GRSE)
Symbolism and Motto
The ship’s crest has a stylised Auger shell representing resilience, precision, and vigilance in especially challenging conditions. The motto of "Arnave Shauryam" (Valour in the Ocean), reflects the spirit of the vessel and its operational role within the Navy.
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(Photograph: X / GRSE)
Delivery and Commissioning
The vessel had been delivered to the Indian Navy on May 8, after the supervision by the Directorate of Ship Production and Warship Overseeing Teams in Kolkata and Kattupalli. The commissioning of the INS Arnala on June 18 will mark the formal induction of the first ASW-SWC ship into active service, underscoring a new phase in India’s maritime security efforts.
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