In a boost to India’s coastal defence capabilities, the Indian Navy on Thursday received ‘Mahe’, the first of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW SWCs) built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi.
The vessel named after the historic port town of Mahe in Puducherry pays tribute to India’s rich maritime legacy while marking a new chapter in indigenous naval shipbuilding.
Indigenously designed and constructed by CSL, ‘Mahe’ embodies India’s push for self-reliance under the government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. The vessel boasts over 80% indigenous content and is equipped to undertake multiple maritime missions, including underwater surveillance, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO), and mine-laying tasks in coastal waters.
At approximately 78 metres in length and with a displacement of around 1,100 tons, ‘Mahe’ is compact yet powerful. It is armed with torpedoes, multifunctional anti-submarine rockets, and features advanced sonar and radar systems designed for superior underwater warfare and situational awareness.
The induction of the ASW SWC fleet is expected to significantly strengthen the Navy’s coastal security grid, providing enhanced capability to detect and neutralize submarine threats in littoral zones.