New Delhi, June 18 (IANS): Government-owned Maharatna company Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has supplied the entire requirement of special steel for India’s first indigenously designed and built Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), ‘INS Arnala’, which was commissioned into the Indian Navy on Wednesday.

This represents a major step forward towards the country’s self-reliance in the defence sector and import substitution. “Partnering India’s march towards defence indigenisation, SAIL has supplied the entire special steel for this project. This marks yet another impressive milestone in SAIL’s journey to support India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative and help the nation lessen its import dependence,” the company said in a statement.

The Navy said the commissioning of INS Arnala not only reinforces India’s defence capability but also highlights the triumph of indigenous design, engineering, and manufacturing.

SAIL had also catered to the entire requirement of special steel for the other seven ASW-SWC corvettes being built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).

Besides, SAIL had also supplied special steel in the past to INS Vikrant, INS Vindyagiri, INS Nilgiri, and INS Surat, among other major defence projects.

SAIL reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 1,251 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, which represents an 11.1 per cent increase compared to the corresponding figure of Rs ₹1,125.68 crore in the same quarter of the previous year.

On a sequential basis, the steel giant posted a significant jump in net profit from Rs 141.69 crore in Q3FY25.

The surge in profit can be attributed to improved performance across key steel plants and a decrease in input costs.

“Amidst challenges posed by international tariffs and import pressures, which were present in the last quarter of FY25, our robust performance reflects our ability to navigate complexities while strengthening our position. The supporting government policies augur well for domestic steel demand, and as we move forward, SAIL remains focused on innovation, cost optimisation and planned future expansion in line with National Steel Policy,” SAIL Chairman and MD Amarendu Prakash said.

–IANS

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