New Delhi, Nov 16 (IANS) The Indian Navy is set to add a major boost to its coastal defence capabilities with the commissioning of INS Mahe, the first vessel of the Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on November 24, Navy officials said on Sunday.

Built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) under the Navy’s wider push for self-reliance in maritime capability, Mahe marks a significant stride in India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.

The vessel represents the Navy’s growing mastery in indigenous design, engineering and platform integration, with more than 80 per cent of its systems and equipment sourced from India.

Compact, agile and purpose-built for littoral warfare, the Mahe-class has been designed to detect and neutralise hostile submarines operating close to the coast.

“With her blend of firepower, stealth and mobility, the ship is designed to hunt submarines, conduct coastal patrols, and secure India’s vital maritime approaches, a Naval official said.

Named after the historic coastal enclave of Mahe on the Malabar Coast, the ship carries a crest featuring the ‘Urumi’, the flexible sword used in Kalarippayattu.

The symbol reflects the vessel’s defining attributes — agility, precision and lethal effectiveness in shallow waters.

“The commissioning of Mahe will mark the arrival of a new generation of indigenous shallow-water combatants — sleek, swift, and resolutely Indian,” the official added.

On November 6, INS Ikshak, the third of the Survey Vessel Large ships, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in a ceremonial event at the Naval base in Kochi.

It was presided over by Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi.

Calling INS Ikshak a “symbol of India’s maritime confidence and technological self-reliance,” the Navy Chief said the vessel underscores the Navy’s transition from a Buyer’s Navy to a Builder’s Navy.

The ship, built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), carries nearly 80 per cent indigenous content, reflecting the success of India’s self-reliance in defence production.

Amid growing geopolitical competition at sea, the Navy Chief said, “When the global seas are rough, the world looks for a steady lighthouse — India is poised to play that role with strength and stability.”

–IANS

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