• The first three ships in the series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW SWC) under construction in Cochin Shipyard Limited for the Indian Navy were launched on November 30.

• These three ships are named INS Mahe, INS Malvan and INS Mangrol.

• The contract for building eight ASW SWC ships was signed between the ministry of defence and Cochin Shipyard Limited on April 30, 2019.

• The Mahe class ASW Shallow Water Crafts have been named after ports of strategic importance along the coast of India, and will look to carry forward the glorious legacy of the erstwhile minesweepers which were their namesake.

• These ships will be equipped with indigenously developed, state-of-the-art underwater sensors, and are envisaged to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters as well as Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) and Mine Laying Operations. 

• The ASW SWC ships are 78 metres long and displacement is approximately 900 tonnes, with a maximum speed of 25 knots.

• These ships will have over 80 per cent indigenous content, thereby ensuring that large scale defence production is executed by Indian manufacturing units, generating employment and capability enhancement within the country.

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