GRSE Launches Its 8th & Final ASW Shallow Water Craft Ajay in Kolkata

The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, has launched the eighth and final Arnala class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) ‘Ajay’ (Yard3034) on 21 July 2025 in Kolkata.  

The ship, which was launched in the presence of the Indian Navy’s officers, will strengthen the Indian Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capability in the shallow coastal waters and will boost the Indian coastal defence system.

The ship has been built in India with over 80 % indigenous content.

Indian Navy’s ASW SWC Programme 

In 2014, the Union Ministry of Defence sanctioned the construction of 16 specialised Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) in India to replace the ageing Soviet-built Abhay-class ships.

The ASW SWC was to be designed and constructed in India through a public-private partnership (PPP) model under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives of the central government.

The government awarded the defence sector public sector undertakings GRSE and the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) to build eight ships each. 

The GRSE has collaborated with the private sector shipyard L&T Kattupalli to build the vessels.

The ships to be developed by GRSE are called Arnala class, while the ships being built by CSL are known as Mahe class vessels.

INS Arnala Class ASW SWC 

The names of the Arnala class ASW SWC are: INS Arnala, INS Anjadip, INS Amini, INS Agray, INS Androth, INS Akshay, INS Azhikkal and INS Ajay. 

The name is derived from the famous Arnala fort of Maharashtra.

The first Arnala class ASW SWC was launched by the GSRE in December 2022 and was inducted/commissioned into the Indian Navy in June 2025.

Capability of the INS Arnala Class ASW SWC 

Length of the ship is 77.6 meters and the width is 10.5 meters with a displacement at full load of about 1,500 tonnes.

The vessel is powered by a diesel engine and is propelled by a waterjet propulsion system. 

The ship has been designed for anti-submarine warfare in shallow waters and is equipped with an advanced suite of anti-submarine warfare weapons and sensors.

The ships can ably conduct sub-surface surveillance, search and rescue missions, lay mines in the water, conduct low-intensity maritime operations in littoral and coastal waters and coordinate ASW operations with naval aircraft like P8I of the Indian Navy.

The ship can detect and engage submarines, including midget submarines, and unmanned underwater vehicles in coastal waters.

The ship is equipped with advanced stealth technology that makes it difficult for enemy ships to detect.

Weapon system 

To hunt and destroy the underwater submarines of other vessels, the ships are equipped with lightweight torpedoes, RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers, and anti-submarine mines.

It is also equipped with a 30mm naval surface gun and two 12.7mm Stabilised Remote Control Guns, manufactured indigenously.