INS Arnala: India has taken a big step forward in its coastal defence with the commissioning of INS Arnala, a new warship specially built to fight enemy submarines in shallow waters. The Indian Navy welcomed this new ship in a ceremony at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. This marks the beginning of a new class of warships designed to guard India’s long coastline more closely and effectively.
The INS Arnala is the first in a new series of anti-submarine warfare shallow water crafts.
- It is 77.6 meters long and weighs around 320 tonnes.
- It has a shallow draught of 2.7 meters that means it can move easily in coastal waters where bigger ships can’t go.
- It runs on marine diesel engines and uses a waterjet propulsion system that helps it move fast and turn quick.
Mazagon Dock, GRSE Jump as Defence Stocks Rally on Escalating Middle East Conflict
These features make it very useful for chasing and tracking submarines close to shore.
The ship got lightweight torpedoes and anti-submarine rockets, and it’s got all these modern sensors and systems to help spot and hit enemy subs. It can lay mines too, and even work along with aircraft for missions in both air and sea.
Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in partnership with L&T at Kattupalli, this warship is the first in a group of eight ships that the Indian Navy plans to use. These ships are made in India with more than 80 percent local content, which supports the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India programmes. This makes the INS Arnala not only strong in defence but also a symbol of India’s effort to become self-reliant in building important military tools.
During the ceremony, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said that INS Arnala is a “combat-worthy asset.” He said it will help the Navy a lot in spotting and destroying enemy submarines near the coast. He added that the ship’s ability to move quickly in shallow waters and its high-tech systems make it very powerful for watching over the seas and working with other ships in the fleet.
HENSOLDT Showcases Advanced Air Defence and Radar Tech at Paris Air Show
The First of Eight Ships
INS Arnala is the first of eight ships of this type that will help protect India’s 7,500-kilometer-long coastline, reported TOI. These shallow water crafts will strengthen the Navy’s power in areas close to the shore, where bigger warships may not work well. They are specially made to act fast in shallow waters and find underwater threats before they get too close. The Navy plans to bring in seven more ships like this one to build a strong line of defence along the coast.
