Indian Navy to commission ASW-SWC ship ‘Androth’ on October 6

• Indian Navy’s second state-of-the-art Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) ‘Androth’ is set to be commissioned by the Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam on October 6.

• It is built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, Kolkata, with over 80 per cent indigenous components.

ASW Shallow Water Craft (SWC) Project

• The contract for building eight ASW SWC ships was signed between the Defence Ministry and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata on April 29, 2019.

• ‘Arnala’, the first of the project was launched on December 20, 2022.

• It was delivered to the Indian Navy on May 8 at L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli.

• Arnala is named after the historic fort located off Vasai, Maharashtra.

• Arnala class of ships will replace the in-service Abhay class ASW Corvettes of the 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.

• The ASW SWC ships are 77.6 m long, have a displacement of 900 tonnes with a maximum speed of 25 knots.

• The ASW SWC 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.

• Androth, Anjadip, Amini, Abhay, Agray, Akshay and Ajay are the other ASW SWC ships that are being built by GRSE.

• They are designed for underwater surveillance, search & rescue operations and Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO). 

• They are capable of undertaking ASW operations in coastal waters, along with advanced mine laying capabilities.

• These ships are propelled by a diesel engine-waterjet combination and are equipped with state of the art lightweight torpedoes, indigenous ASW rockets, advanced shallow water Sonar (sound navigation and ranging), enabling effective submarine detection and engagement in littoral zones.

• The induction of ASW SWC ships would significantly boost shallow water Anti-Submarine Warfare capabilities of the Indian Navy.

Androth

• Constructed under the guidance of the Directorate of Ship Production and the oversight of the Warship Overseeing Team in Kolkata, ‘Androth’ was handed over to the Indian Navy on September 13.

• The name ‘Androth’ holds strategic and symbolic significance, derived from Androth Island in the Lakshadweep archipelago, underscoring India’s commitment to safeguarding its vast maritime territories.

• In its previous avatar, INS Androth (P69) served the nation with distinction for over 27 years before being decommissioned. 

• The commissioning of the new ‘Androth’ honours the legacy and spirit of her predecessor.

• Fitted with advanced weapon and sensor suites and modern communication systems, ‘Androth’ is equipped to detect, track, and neutralise underwater threats with precision. 

• Its cutting-edge capabilities also enable it to undertake maritime surveillance, search and rescue operations, and coastal defence missions across the spectrum of threats.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)