Indian Navy to Commission INS Mahe, First of Indigenous Anti-Submarine Shallow Water Craft
First Mahe-class vessel joins fleet with 80% indigenous lethal power.
The Indian Navy will formally commission INS Mahe, the pioneering ship of the indigenously developed Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft, at a high-profile ceremony in Mumbai’s Naval Dockyard on Monday, with Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi presiding and Vice-Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, hosting the event that underscores deepening tri-service synergy and India’s accelerating naval self-reliance.
Built entirely at Cochin Shipyard Limited under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat framework, Mahe incorporates more than 80 per cent indigenous content across hull, propulsion, combat management systems, sensors, and weaponry, representing a quantum leap in Indian warship design and systems integration while significantly reducing dependence on foreign suppliers for critical shallow-water combat platforms.
Measuring approximately 77 metres in length and displacing 900 tonnes, the sleek vessel is purpose-engineered for stealth, speed, and endurance in littoral environments, equipped with cutting-edge active and passive sonars, lightweight anti-submarine torpedoes, and rapid-response weapons, enabling it to detect, track, and neutralise hostile submarines long before they can threaten India’s coastal assets or strategic sea lanes.
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Named after the historic coastal enclave on the Malabar Coast and bearing a striking crest depicting the legendary Urumi – the coiled, flexible sword of Kalaripayattu rising from turbulent waves – Mahe embodies Kerala’s ancient martial heritage of precision, agility, and lethal elegance, serving as both a cultural tribute and a potent symbol of India’s resurgent maritime dominance along the western seaboard.
The commissioning coincides with final preparations for Navy Day 2025 celebrations on December 3 at Thiruvananthapuram’s Shangumugham beach, where an unprecedented operational demonstration involving warships, aircraft, submarines, and special forces will showcase India’s expanding blue-water and littoral combat capabilities to the nation, continuing the Navy’s tradition of conducting the marquee event away from traditional bases following spectacular displays in Puri and Sindhudurg in previous years.
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