ASW Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) INS Mahe has been commissioned into the Indian Navy. This is the first of eight ships of the ASW SWC class by Cochin Shipyard.
The Indian Navy commissioned INS Mahe (P80), the first of the indigenously designed and built Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), during a ceremony held at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, on November 24, 2025. Mahe was delivered to the Navy on October 23 by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). The ship takes her name from the historic coastal town of Mahe on the Malabar Coast.Â
India’s MoD had signed separate contracts, both for eight ASW SWC each, with CSL and GRSE in April 2019. The first ship was to be delivered in under four years, but the project was delayed primarily due to supply chain issues regarding engines and SONARs as reported earlier by Naval News. While GRSE has launched all eight vessels and delivered two, INS Arnala and Androth, CSL has launched six to date. GRSE had collaborated with L&T to produce four of their eight vessels. The ASW SWC will replace the old late Cold War-era Abhay class corvettes.
INS Mahe was designed by CSL and has over 80% indigenous content. It is equipped with advanced underwater sensors by DRDO and BEL, lightweight torpedoes by DRDO and BDL, two triple tube LWT Launchers by L&T, ASW rocket launcher by L&T, torpedo decoy launchers by Mahindra and mine-laying capability. It is also equipped with Elbit 12.7mm SRCG guns made by Ordnance Factory Tiruchirappalli and Elbit 30 mm NSG made by GRSE.
The Arnala class by GRSE and Mahe class by CSL are comparable in specifications. However, notable differences in design can be seen in the 30 mm gun deck, ASW rocket launcher mount and deflectors, main mast, funnel, LWT launcher placement, hoist crane and the design of the stern.
The CSL ASW SWC are 78 m long, 11.36 m wide with a draught of about 2.7 m. The displacement is about 900 tons, with a maximum speed of 25 knots and endurance of 1800 nautical miles. The ships are designed to fit indigenously developed, state-of-the-art SONARs for underwater surveillance according to CSL. The SONARs utilized include the Abhay hull mounted sonar and Atlas Elektronik – CFF Fluid Control LFVDS. The ship also features ESM, ELINT and combat management systems.
The warship has been designed and constructed as per the Classification Rules of Det Norske Veritas (DNV). The ASW SWC are the largest Indian warships propelled by a diesel engine-waterjet combination. All ships of both ASW SWC classes are expected to be commissioned by 2028.
The ASW SWC will boost Indian Navy’s littoral ASW efforts in the light of Pakistan Navy’s impending submarine fleet expansion, including midget submarines  and uncrewed underwater vessels. The ASW SWC can conduct low-intensity maritime operations, coordinated ASW missions with aircraft and search and rescue operations in coastal waters, among other missions.
