Meaning: Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) refers to military operations and strategies designed to detect, track, and neutralize enemy submarines to protect naval and coastal assets.
Key Highlights:
- Arnala is designed for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), sub-surface surveillance, search and rescue, and low-intensity maritime operations in coastal areas.
- Built under Aatmanirbhar Bharat, it has over 80% indigenous content and includes systems from BEL, L&T, Mahindra Defence, and MEIL, with participation of over 55 MSMEs.
- It is the largest Indian warship powered by a diesel engine-waterjet combination, measuring 77 metres in length and 1,490 tonnes in tonnage.
- Constructed by GRSE, Kolkata, in partnership with L&T Shipbuilders, under guidance from the Directorate of Ship Production and Warship Overseeing Teams.
- Delivered to the Navy on May 8, 2025.
Strategic and Cultural Significance:
- Named after Arnala Fort (1737) near Vasai, Maharashtra, which historically guarded the Vaitarna river mouth and northern Konkan coast.
- Enhances India’s coastal defence and strengthens presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- Showcases indigenous shipbuilding under self-reliant defence manufacturing initiatives.
Why in News?
- The Indian Navy will commission INS Arnala, the first of 16 ASW-SWC class ships, at Visakhapatnam on June 18, 2025.

