Indian Navy Commissions 'Mahe', Bolstering Indigenous Anti-Submarine Warfare Capabilities

The Indian Navy officially commissioned 'Mahe' on October 25, 2025, its first indigenous anti-submarine warfare ship, built in Kochi. This significant event, reported by India Today, marks a crucial enhancement to India's coastal defense capabilities [User Provided Article]. The vessel was delivered to the Navy on October 23, 2025, by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), according to The Economic Times.

'Mahe' is the lead ship in a series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW SWC) designed for critical maritime operations, Wikipedia notes. Its induction significantly boosts the Navy's capacity for underwater surveillance and anti-submarine operations in shallow coastal waters, DD News stated.

This commissioning highlights India's substantial progress in naval self-reliance under the government's 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives, India Today reported. Over 80% of the warship's components have been indigenously sourced, further emphasizing domestic manufacturing prowess.

Constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) in Kochi, 'Mahe' represents a pivotal achievement for the shipyard, which is a key player in India's defense sector, Equitymaster highlighted. CSL is building eight such ASW SWCs, with 'Mahe' being the first delivered.

The 78-meter-long warship, displacing approximately 1,100 tons, is engineered for diverse missions including low-intensity maritime operations (LIMO) and mine-laying tasks, MI News Network confirmed. Its compact design and agility enable effective operation in challenging shallow water environments.

The 'Mahe' class vessels are intended to replace the Indian Navy's aging Abhay-class corvettes, enhancing the fleet's modern capabilities, Wikipedia detailed. This strategic upgrade is part of a larger order for sixteen ASW SWCs, split between CSL and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), odishabytes reported.

• The Indian Navy's Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) program originated from a Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approval in December 2013, aiming to procure sixteen vessels, Wikipedia states. These crafts are crucial for replacing the aging Abhay-class corvettes, which were commissioned between 1989 and 1991, thereby modernizing the Navy's capabilities in coastal and shallow water anti-submarine operations.

• 'Mahe' is a 78-meter-long warship with a displacement of approximately 1,100 tons, making it the largest Indian Naval vessel to utilize a diesel engine-waterjet combination for propulsion, The Hindu reported on October 23, 2025. This advanced system provides exceptional maneuverability and a significantly lower acoustic signature, which is vital for covert anti-submarine warfare in littoral zones.

• The warship is armed with a formidable array of weaponry, including lightweight torpedoes, multi-functional anti-submarine rockets, and advanced mine-laying capabilities, according to DD News. Furthermore, 'Mahe' integrates sophisticated radar, sonar, and electronic warfare systems, designed for superior underwater warfare and enhanced situational awareness, as detailed by India Today.

• Reflecting the nation's drive towards self-reliance, 'Mahe' boasts over 80% indigenous content, with some reports even suggesting over 90%, DD News confirmed. This achievement under the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiative demonstrates India's growing capability to design and produce complex naval platforms domestically, reducing reliance on foreign imports and strengthening its defense industrial base.

• 'Mahe' is purpose-built for critical roles such as underwater surveillance, low-intensity maritime operations (LIMO), and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) in India's coastal waters, MI News Network stated. Its design allows it to effectively track and neutralize submarine threats in shallow areas, where larger destroyers and frigates might face operational limitations.

• The commissioning of 'Mahe' is a key part of the Indian Navy's extensive shipbuilding program, which currently includes 54 warships under various stages of construction in domestic shipyards, The Hindu reported on September 23, 2025. This ambitious drive aims to expand India's naval strength to over 200 frontline warships and submarines by 2035, ensuring maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region.

• Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has emerged as a pivotal entity in India's indigenous warship construction efforts, having also built the nation's first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, Equitymaster noted on October 19, 2024. CSL's delivery of 'Mahe' underscores its evolving role as a leading shipbuilder capable of meeting the complex operational demands of the Indian Navy.

• 'Mahe' is the first of eight ASW SWCs being constructed by CSL, with the remaining vessels slated for phased delivery in the coming years, gktoday reported. Concurrently, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) is building another eight ASW SWCs, with vessels like INS Arnala and INS Androth already commissioned, further bolstering the Navy's shallow-water combat fleet.