Indian Navy inducts INS Arnala — Anti-submarine warship named after historic Maratha Fort | Watch video

The Indian Navy inducted an anti-submarine shallow water craft warship named INS Arnala into its current fleet on Wednesday, 18 June 2025, reported the news agency PTI. The defence force is preparing to conduct surveillance, search and rescue missions, and low-intensity maritime operations. 

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan presided over the commissioning ceremony while Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar and other senior Indian Navy officials hosted the event on the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, on Wednesday, according to the agency report.

The report also mentions that distinguished civilian dignitaries and ex-Commanding Officers of the erstwhile ‘Arnala’ attended the event, along with representatives from Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) and Larsen & Toubro Shipbuilding. 

“#Arnala - India's first indigenously designed and built Anti Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft, is all set to be commissioned today, #18Jun25. We bring to you the Journey of Arnala. From Blueprint... to A Warship,” said the Indian Navy spokesperson in a post on the platform X.

INS Arnala

INS Arnala is a 77-metre-long anti-submarine shallow water craft warship with a total gross weight of more than 1,490 tonnes. The Indian Navy termed it as the largest Indian naval warship to be propelled by a diesel engine-waterjet combination.

“The warship incorporates more than 80 per cent indigenous content and integrates advanced systems from leading Indian defence firms, including Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), L&T, Mahindra Defence, and MEIL,” an Indian Navy spokesperson told the news agency. 

According to the agency report, INS Arnala is the first of the 16 anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASW-SWC) class ships, which are set to be commissioned into the Indian Navy.

Highlighting India's history and heritage, the Navy decided to name the warship “Arnala” after the historic Arnala Fort located off the coast of Vasai, Mumbai, Maharashtra.

The historic fort was constructed in 1737 by the Marathas under the leadership of Chimaji Appa. The structure of the first was strategically positioned to oversee the Vaitarna River's mouth, acting as a natural guard to the northern Konkan coast, according to the Indian Navy, as per the news report.