Indian Navy commissions ‘Silent Hunter’ INS Mahe: Why is it significant? Expert says ‘Pakistan and China are…’

INS Mahe, the first of the Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on Monday, 23 November, by Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Upendra Dwivedi.

The ceremony, held at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, was hosted by Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command.

What is INS Mahe? A ‘Silent Hunter’

INS Mahe is the first of the Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft, which is abbreviated as ASW-SWC in naval terms.

The Mahe-class craft is designed for shallow waters, boosting coastal defence. It will help detect and neutralise enemy submarines.

The ship was built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) and delivered to the Navy on 23 October. It is the first of the eight ASW-SWC being built by Cochin Shipyard Limited. The full induction is expected to be completed by 2027.

What's in the name?

INS Mahe has been named after the historic coastal town of Mahe on the Malabar coast, which is a symbol of India's maritime legacy.

Meanwhile, the ship’s motto, “Silent Hunters”, embodies stealth, vigilance and unwavering resolve - qualities that define anti-submarine warfare ethos, the Indian Navy said.

Key features

The ship has been equipped with torpedoes and anti-submarine rockets. It's designed to hunt submarines, conduct coastal patrols, and secure India's vital maritime approaches.

The ASW SWC ships are 78 metres long and have a displacement of approximately 900 tons, with a maximum speed of 25 knots.

The Navy said the ship's crest features an ‘Urumi’ – the flexible sword of Kalarippayattu, symbolising agility, precision and lethal grace, the Indian Navy added.

The commissioning of INS Mahe marks the arrival of a new generation of indigenous shallow-water combatants - “sleek, swift, and resolutely Indian”, the Ministry of Defence said, adding that INS Mahe has over 80% indigenous content.

She will serve as a 'Silent Hunter' on the Western Seaboard - powered by self-reliance and dedicated to safeguarding India's maritime frontiers.

Expert explains INS Mahe's significance

Lt Col JS Sodhi (Retd), the panel member and advisor, National Commission for Minorities, Government of India, highlighted that “submarines are acquiring a more and more important role in modern naval warfare”.

He noted that Pakistan is “slated to get six Hangor-class submarines from China; and China, as we are aware, has a very large submarine fleet”.

He said, “...15 submarines are being constructed in the Chinese dockyard day and night with the aim of them being completed by 2030 now.”

Lt. Col. JS Sodhi (Retd.) also recalled General Upendra Dwivedi's comment on 17 March that “two-front war on India is no longer a possibility, it's a reality.”

“In the background of this statement on the Indian Army chief of 17 March and the fact that China and Pakistan are adding submarines in a big way, so today's induction of INS Mahe assumes immense significance because it has a lot of capacity and capability for anti-submarine warfare.”

It's also because its specifications are such that it can operate even in shallow waters. “This way, it becomes very difficult for the enemy to target the ship because it has a lot of manoeuvring capabilities, be it in deep seas or shallow waters.”

“And also it showcases the success of Aatmnirbhar Bharat or making initiatives launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where more than 75 per cent of INS Mahe components have been produced indigenously,” he said.