The Indian Navy will commission the first anti-submarine warfare shallow water vessel (ASW-SWC), a special type of vessel called “Alunara” next month. The ceremony will be hosted by Prime Minister Anil Chauhan, Secretary of Defense. At this event, the first introduction of 16 ASW-SWC class vessels marks formal guidance into the Navy.
Its scheduled commissioning marks a transformational moment in the country’s naval capabilities.
What is the Arunara ship?
Arnala is designed and built by Kolkata-Headquarted Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) under a public-private partnership with L&T Shipbuilders. It is a 77-meter-long warship and has recorded gross tonnages of over 1,490 tons, making it the largest Indian naval warship propelled by the diesel-engine waterjet combine.
The project is along the central government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Freestanding India) drive, which aims to boost the production of defences.
The Arunara was delivered to the Indian Navy on May 8, 2025.
The origin of names such as Arnala…
Arunara is named after the historic Arunara Fort off Vasai in Maharashtra, about 13km north of Vasai.
The fort, built by Malazas under the leadership of Uppa in Chimaji in 1737, will be strategically placed to oversee the mouth of the Viitaruna River and serve as a sentinel on the coast of northern Konkan, the statement added.
According to an official statement, the ship was designed to have a scary presence at sea, just as the ship stood resilient against various threats.
The container is designed to withstand a huge range of maritime-related challenges, incorporating more than four-fifths of Indigenous content.
Arnala integrates advanced systems from major defense companies such as Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Mahindra Defense and Meil.
Arnala features
Designed for a variety of ASW businesses, the vessel is equipped to carry out underground surveillance, search and rescue missions, and low-strength marine operations.
