Indian Navy launches final ship of indigenous anti-submarine warfare fleet

New Delhi, Jul 21: The Indian Navy marked a key milestone in its indigenous shipbuilding programme with the launch of Yard 3034 (Ajay), the eighth and final vessel of the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) series. The warship was launched at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata in the presence of Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh, Chief of Materiel. Following naval tradition, the ship was ceremonially launched by Mrs Priya Deshmukh. Senior officials from the Indian Navy and GRSE also attended the event.

Designed and built entirely in India, the Ajay forms part of a class of warships aimed at enhancing the Navy’s underwater surveillance and combat capabilities in shallow waters. The first ship of the class, INS Arnala, was commissioned on June 18, 2025, while the second vessel is scheduled for delivery in August 2025.

Equipped with advanced sensors like Hull Mounted Sonar and Low Frequency Variable Depth Sonar (LFVDS), the vessel is capable of detecting and countering submarine threats. It is armed with torpedoes, anti-submarine rockets, a 30 mm Naval Surface Gun, and 12.7 mm Stabilised Remote Control Guns (SRCGs). The ship is powered by diesel engines and uses waterjet propulsion, enabling high manoeuvrability in shallow coastal zones. Once inducted, the ASW SWC fleet is expected to boost India’s operational readiness in the Indian Ocean Region, particularly in detecting and neutralising underwater threats and conducting mine-laying operations in strategically sensitive waters.