Kolkata: Highlighting the strategic importance of the chain of 36 islands in the Arabian Sea that are part of Indian territory, INS Androth felt water under her keel for the first time on March 21, 2023, at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd.

INS Androth, the second in a series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) is being built by GRSE Ltd for the Indian Navy.

Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command presided the launch ceremony as Chief Guest. The ASW Shallow Water ship, INS Androth was christened and launched by Shashi Tripathi, President, NWWA, Western Region. Former Indian cricketer Arun Lal was Guest of Honour during the ceremony.

The ship has been named ‘Androth’ to signify the strategic maritime importance accorded to the island of Androth, located about 170 Nm north-west of Kochi, in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.

The contract for building eight  ASW SWC ships was signed between MoD and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata on April 29, 2019. Arnala class of ships will replace the in-service Abhay class ASW Corvettes of Indian Navy and are designed to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, low Intensity maritime operations (LIMO) and mine laying operations including subsurface surveillance in littoral waters and various surface platforms along with coordinated ASW operations with aircraft. The ASW SWC ships are 77.6 m long, have a displacement of 900 tons with a maximum speed of 25 knots.

The launch of two ships of the same class in a span of three months reinforces our resolve towards indigenous shipbuilding as part of Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. The first ship of the project is planned to be delivered to Indian Navy by December 2023. The ASW SWC ships will have over 80% indigenous content, thereby ensuring that large scale defence production is executed by Indian manufacturing units, generating employment and capability enhancement within the country.

Cmde PR Hari IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh, CWP&A – Indian Navy, RK Dash, Director (Finance), GRSE, Cdr S Bose, Director (Shipbuilding), GRSE, Mihir Kumbhakar, CVO, GRSE & other senior officials of Indian Armed Forces & GRSE were present on the occasion.

These ships though smaller in size will pack a lethal punch as they will carry lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets and mines, close-in weapon system (30 mm gun) and 16.7 mm stabilized remote-controlled guns. The ASW SWC will also be fitted with hull mounted sonar and a low frequency variable depth sonar. All the ships of the project are being built to IR Class rules for Naval Vessels. The Class Surveyors have been instrumental in ensuring construction as per Class rules.

Vice Admiral Tripathi stated, “The construction of specialized ships such as these for Anti-Submarine Warfare is indeed in sync with the provisioning of a combat ready credible cohesive & future proof force, which is ready to face the existing and future challenges in the maritime domain. I am happy to inform you, the ship to be launched today has made quick progress during construction notwithstanding the vicissitudes of shipbuilding as we all know. I take this opportunity to congratulate the GRSE for being the only DPSU shipyard for receiving the Defence Minister Award 2022, for designing the ASW Shallow Water Craft.”

Cmde P R Hari IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE Ltd, highlighted the long and fruitful relations that the shipyard has had with the Indian Navy. “Garden Reach Shipbuilders and the Indian Navy go back a long way and 63 years of our coexistence has seen tremendous growth of both the organisations. We at GRSE, are indeed proud to have partnered the Navy in a quest of attaining Blue Water capability and also, in its transition from a Buyers Navy to a Builders Navy. 70 Warships were delivered to Indian Navy and 15 more under various stage of construction… in this, the sheer numbers reflect the strength of this partnership and these platforms range from Boats to Fast Attack Crafts, to Survey Vessels, to Landing Crafts to Corvettes, to Frigates, and now Anti-Submarine Shallow Water Crafts, and Advanced Frigates.”

“GRSE is a diversified company and our USP is our product profile. From Warships to Commercial Ships to Diesel Engines, to Deck Machinery, to Portable Steel Bridges, the company is doing well, both in terms of physical and financial performance. The first ship of this ASW Shallow Water Craft project was launched on 20 Dec 22 and within 3 months of launching the first ship, here we are today to launch the 2nd ship,” he said in his address.

” alt=”” width=”319″ height=”501″ />Cmde PR Hari IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh, CWP&A – Indian Navy, RK Dash, Director (Finance), GRSE, Cdr S Bose, Director (Shipbuilding), GRSE, Mihir Kumbhakar, CVO, GRSE & other senior officials of Indian Armed Forces & GRSE were present on the occasion.

These ships though smaller in size will pack a lethal punch as they will carry lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets and mines, close-in weapon system (30 mm gun) and 16.7 mm stabilized remote-controlled guns. The ASW SWC will also be fitted with hull mounted sonar and a low frequency variable depth sonar. All the ships of the project are being built to IR Class rules for Naval Vessels. The Class Surveyors have been instrumental in ensuring construction as per Class rules.

Vice Admiral Tripathi stated, “The construction of specialized ships such as these for Anti-Submarine Warfare is indeed in sync with the provisioning of a combat ready credible cohesive & future proof force, which is ready to face the existing and future challenges in the maritime domain. I am happy to inform you, the ship to be launched today has made quick progress during construction notwithstanding the vicissitudes of shipbuilding as we all know. I take this opportunity to congratulate the GRSE for being the only DPSU shipyard for receiving the Defence Minister Award 2022, for designing the ASW Shallow Water Craft.”

Cmde P R Hari IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE Ltd, highlighted the long and fruitful relations that the shipyard has had with the Indian Navy. “Garden Reach Shipbuilders and the Indian Navy go back a long way and 63 years of our coexistence has seen tremendous growth of both the organisations. We at GRSE, are indeed proud to have partnered the Navy in a quest of attaining Blue Water capability and also, in its transition from a Buyers Navy to a Builders Navy. 70 Warships were delivered to Indian Navy and 15 more under various stage of construction… in this, the sheer numbers reflect the strength of this partnership and these platforms range from Boats to Fast Attack Crafts, to Survey Vessels, to Landing Crafts to Corvettes, to Frigates, and now Anti-Submarine Shallow Water Crafts, and Advanced Frigates.”

“GRSE is a diversified company and our USP is our product profile. From Warships to Commercial Ships to Diesel Engines, to Deck Machinery, to Portable Steel Bridges, the company is doing well, both in terms of physical and financial performance. The first ship of this ASW Shallow Water Craft project was launched on 20 Dec 22 and within 3 months of launching the first ship, here we are today to launch the 2nd ship,” he said in his address.