Indian Navy to Commission ASW Craft 'Mahe' on November 24

The commissioning of the first vessel in a new class of Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft, 'Mahe', is scheduled to take place on November 24, 2025, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. This forms another important milestone under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and testifies to India's growing prowess in indigenous shipbuilding and naval combat technology. The induction of these crafts aids in enhancing India's capabilities for protection against underwater threats in shallow coastal waters.

About Mahe: The Lead Ship in the ASW-SWC Class

• Built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi, Mahe is the lead vessel of eight ships scheduled in the new class of ASW-SWCs.

• Characterized by compact size but with the most advanced technologies in anti-submarine warfare, these crafts operate specifically in littoral or shallow waters.

• Mahe blends agility, precision, and stealth to protect strategic maritime approaches, undertake coastal surveillance, and counter underwater threats.

• The vessel has more than 80% indigenous content and bears testimony to India's maturing shipbuilding ecosystem.

Key Features and Capabilities

• Anti-Submarine Warfare: Features sonar systems, torpedoes, and depth charges designed for the detection and neutralization of hostile submarines operating in coastal waters.

• Operational Flexibility: The capability to conduct a variety of missions, such as maritime patrol, surveillance, search and rescue, and mine countermeasures.

• Design: Compact and maneuverable, suited to shallow water navigation, thus enabling operations in narrow bays, estuaries, and coastal areas where larger warships cannot operate efficiently.

• Advanced Systems Integration: It integrates indigenous sensors and weapons with command-control systems reflecting India's integrated defense manufacturing capabilities.

Strategic Importance for the Maritime Security of India

• Commissioning of Mahe further reinforces the capability of the Indian Navy to dominate in the littoral zones of the Indian Ocean Region.

• Shallow water crafts play a very important role in finding enemy submarines that may be stealthy and operate in proximity to coastlines-the high-value zones that always need surveillance.

• These vessels contribute to enhanced coastal defense by complementing larger offshore patrol vessels and aircraft in multi-layered maritime security operations.

• Indigenuous design and building reduce dependency on foreign suppliers, aiding strategic autonomy and defense preparedness.

The Aatmanirbhar Bharat Initiative and Naval Modernization

• Mahe represents a flagship achievement of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission aimed at making the country self-sufficient in defense production.

• The building of these advanced technology crafts by Cochin Shipyard Limited marks the beginning of indigenization of Indian naval construction.

• The project also highlights the advances in warship design and integration of indigenous systems and technological innovation that hold the key for future naval warfare.

Cultural Symbolism: The Significance of 'Mahe'

• Mahe is named after a coastal town on India's Malabar Coast, with the regional heritage and nautical traditions combined together.

• The crest carries the "Urumi" or the flexible traditional sword of the martial art Kalaripayattu, depicting the ship's agility and precision.

• This is the cultural integration that shows respect for the historical roots along with the advancement of modern capabilities.

The Remaining ASW-SWC Vessels The remaining seven ships in this class will be inducted progressively to enhance India's shallow water operational fleet. Further expansion is expected to cover other strategic coastal zones, providing closer surveillance and faster responses against underwater threats. Continued indigenous development will place India in the position of a regional leader in low-profile, high-tech naval defense platforms.

What are Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts? 

Specialized naval vessels designed to detect and neutralize submarines and other underwater threats in coastal and shallow waters. 

How does Mahe contribute to India's maritime strategy? 

By expanding patrols and defense capabilities in littoral waters, Mahe serves to help maintain naval superiority and protect economic interests, such as shipping lanes. 

What is the importance of indigenous shipbuilding for India? 

Indigenous manufacturing enhances self-reliance and reduces foreign dependence, while technological innovation and national security are also strengthened.

A Landmark in India's Maritime Sovereignty Commissioning Mahe thus heralds a new era in India's naval capabilities based on indigenously developed technological solutions to modern maritime challenges. Indeed, the commissioning reiterates the nation's commitment to the protection of its coastal interests and demonstrates strength in the Indian Ocean Region. As the first of eight ASW shallow water crafts, Mahe is both a strategic asset and a symbol of national pride in pursuit of modern, self-reliant defense capability.