Keel Laying of the seventh ship (BY 529, Machilipatnam) of the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) project was undertaken on 29 January 2025 in the presence of Rear Admiral Upal Kundu, Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command SNC. Senior officials of Indian Navy and CSL were also present for the ceremony. With almost all major and auxiliary equipment/ systems sourced from indigenous manufacturers, these ships exemplify the GoI Initiative of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. This milestone, in quick succession of the Keel Laying of the sixth ship in December 2024 and Launching of the fourth and fifth ships at CSL in September 2024, demonstrates the steadfast efforts of the Indian Shipyards to meet Indian Navy’s growing operational requirements. Contract for building eight ASW SWC ships was awarded to Cochin Shipyard Limited by Ministry of Defence MoD on 30 April 2019. The ships known as Mahe class, will be equipped with indigenously developed, state-of-the-art underwater sensors, and are envisaged to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters as well as Low Intensity Maritime Operations LIMO and Mine Laying Operations. The first ship of the project is planned to be delivered in early 2025. Besides enhancing Indian Navy’s Anti-Submarine Warfare capabilities, the high indigenous content on these ASW SWC ships is also generating large scale employment and capability enhancement of Indian Manufacturing Units.
