Indian Navy commissions second Mahe-class ASW-SWC

July 23, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

The Indian Navy has commissioned INS Malvan, the second of the indigenously designed and built Mahe-class anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASW-SWC), at Karwar.

The event, which took place on July 22, was presided over by Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, in the presence of Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command. Other senior naval officers, representatives from Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi, veterans, and distinguished guests were also in attendance.

The name of the vessel comes from the historical coastal town of Malvan in Maharashtra, a region intrinsically linked to the illustrious maritime heritage of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The unit also encapsulates the legacy of her predecessor, an inshore Indian naval minesweeper that remained in service till 2003.

INS Malvan is the second of eight ASW-SWCs, being indigenously built by CSL, Kochi, and the sixth of 16 ASW-SWCs to be commissioned into the Indian Navy. It is equipped for underwater surveillance, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations, and low-intensity maritime operations (LIMO), along with mine warfare capability.

The vessel is expected to further bolster coastal defense, littoral security, and enhance maritime domain awareness.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the Chief of the Air Staff emphasised the critical importance of safeguarding sea lines of communication to ensure unimpeded maritime trade amid global uncertainties. He lauded the Indian Navy’sgrowth and its commitment to the Aatmanirbhar initiative (made in India), specifically highlighting the warship’s over 80 percent indigenous content.

Drawing inspiration from the Indian Navy’s model of embedding officers directly into the shipbuilding process, he suggested that similar practices could accelerate self-reliance across the broader defence ecosystem.

Last June, the Indian Navy commissioned its first ASW-SWC INS Arnala, built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).