Maritime News, Chennai, India : The Indian Navy is set to commission INS Anjadip, the third vessel under the eight-ship Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) programme, on 27 February 2026 at Chennai Port. The ceremony will be presided over by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff.
The induction of Anjadip marks a significant step in enhancing India’s coastal Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capabilities and reinforces the Navy’s operational preparedness in littoral waters.
Strengthening Coastal Anti-Submarine Warfare
Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, Anjadip is part of an indigenous warship programme designed specifically to counter submarine threats in shallow and coastal waters — areas critical to India’s maritime security.
Engineered for high agility and rapid response, the 77-metre warship is equipped with:
- Hull Mounted Sonar ‘Abhay’
- Lightweight Torpedoes
- Anti-Submarine Warfare Rockets
- Advanced indigenous ASW sensor suite
- High-speed Water-Jet Propulsion system
- Maximum speed of approximately 25 knots
The vessel is optimised for detection, tracking and neutralisation of hostile submarines in complex littoral environments.
Multi-Role Operational Capability
While primarily designed as a “Dolphin Hunter” for ASW operations, Anjadip is also capable of:
- Coastal surveillance missions
- Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO)
- Search and Rescue (SAR) tasks
Its deployment under the Eastern Naval Command will enhance maritime security coverage, particularly across sensitive coastal regions including Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Advancing Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Defence
The ASW-SWC project represents a key milestone in India’s defence self-reliance journey under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
With indigenous design, construction, and weapon integration, the project demonstrates:
- Strengthening domestic shipbuilding capacity
- Increased indigenisation of sensors and weapons
- Reduced reliance on imported combat platforms
- Expansion of India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem
The commissioning underscores the Navy’s broader transformation into a “Builder’s Navy,” focusing on domestically designed and constructed warships.
Strategic Context
As submarine presence and underwater activity increase in the Indian Ocean Region, shallow water anti-submarine capabilities have become central to coastal defence strategy.
The induction of Anjadip contributes to:
- Enhanced coastal deterrence
- Faster response to underwater threats
- Improved maritime domain awareness
- Strengthened layered defence architecture
Named after the historic Anjadip Island off the coast of Karwar, the vessel symbolically reflects India’s maritime heritage while reinforcing modern naval capability.
