NEW DELHI
The Indian Navy will on Wednesday commission the second locally built Mahe-class anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASW-SWC) Malvan in Kochi, highlighting how the service is advancing indigenisation to emerge as a fully self-reliant force by 2047 when the country marks its independence centenary, officials aware of the matter said on Tuesday.
It will be the seventh India-made warship to be inducted into the navy this year, the officials said. Malvan, constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited and featuring over 80% local content, will enter service in the presence of Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh and Western Naval Command chief Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan.
The warship’s chief roles include sub-surface surveillance, search and attack missions and coordinated anti-submarine operations. It is equipped with anti-submarine rocket launchers, light-weight torpedoes, anti-submarine mines, a 30 mm naval surface gun, and a 12.7 mm M2 stabilised remote controlled gun.
INS Mahe, the first of eight vessels in her class, was commissioned last November in the presence of army chief General Upendra Dwivedi. The navy expects to commission another seven to eight indigenous warships this year, the officials added.
On July 11, the navy commissioned its latest stealth frigate, INS Mahendragiri, bolstering its presence in the Indian Ocean Region and the broader Indo-Pacific where China continues to expand its maritime reach. It is the sixth of seven stealth frigates under the ₹45,000-crore Project 17A. These frigates are capable of undertaking the full spectrum of maritime operations, including fleet air defence, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction, surveillance and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR)
{{/usCountry}}On July 11, the navy commissioned its latest stealth frigate, INS Mahendragiri, bolstering its presence in the Indian Ocean Region and the broader Indo-Pacific where China continues to expand its maritime reach. It is the sixth of seven stealth frigates under the ₹45,000-crore Project 17A. These frigates are capable of undertaking the full spectrum of maritime operations, including fleet air defence, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction, surveillance and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR)
{{/usCountry}}The navy is working towards becoming fully self-reliant by 2047 when India celebrates 100 years of independence. Around 60 warships are under construction at various Indian shipyards.