INS Anjadip is the third ship of the Arnala class of the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC). The ship has been ordered by the Indian Navy and was delivered on 22 December 2025.[1]
Known as the "Dolphin Hunter", it was officially commissioned into the service on 27 February 2026 at Chennai. This ship features a high-tech Combat Management System and advanced SONAR to identify and eliminate underwater threats with precision.[2]
History[edit | edit source]
Background[edit | edit source]
On 23 December 2013, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) –- the main acquisition panel subordinate to India's Ministry of Defence (MoD), approved the procurement of sixteen anti-submarine warfare (ASW) vessels capable of operating in shallow waters, at a cost of ₹13,440 crore (equivalent to ₹180 billion or US$2.6 billion in 2019), to replace the ageing Abhay-class corvettes of the Indian Navy – which were commissioned between 1989 and 1991. This includes the development of the vessels with about 700 t (690 long tons; 770 short tons) displacement and an operational radius of 200 nmi (370 km; 230 mi) from its home port. They would be built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).[3][4]
In June 2014, the MoD issued a tender, worth USD2.25 billion under the 'Buy and Make India' category to private-shipyards – including Larsen & Toubro (L&T), ABG Shipyard, Pipavav Defense and Offshore Engineering, Goa Shipyard (GSL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), for the procurement of the 16 anti-submarine vessels.[5]
In October 2017, Cochin Shipyard (CSL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) emerged as the first and the second-lowest bidder in the tender, respectively. CSL had quoted a value of ₹5,400 crore (US$829.22 million) while GRSE had to match the bid value of CSL in order to get the contract.[6]
Purchase[edit | edit source]
On 29 April 2019, the MoD and GRSE signed a contract, valued at ₹6,311.32 crore (US$880 million), for eight anti-submarine vessels, to be delivered between 2022 and 2026. The contract mandates the first vessel to be delivered within 42 months of the date of signing, with the remaining seven vessels delivered at a rate of two ships per year within 84 months.[7][8]
On 30 April 2019, the MoD and CSL signed a similar contract for the construction of the remaining eight vessels – within a deadline of 84 months.[9] Under this contract, the first ship was also expected to be delivered within a span of 42 months, with subsequent deliveries of two ships per year.[8][10][11]
Construction[edit | edit source]
GRSE formed a Public Private Partnership alliance with Larsen & Toubro involving its Kattupalli Shipyard to undertake the entire ASW SWC project along with the Survey Vessel (Large) Project.[12]
The keel laying ceremony of the ship, along with INS Amini (fourth ASW SWC) and INS Sanshodhak (fourth Sandhayak-class survey vessel), was conducted on 17 June 2022 at Kattupalli Shipyard.[13] Christened Anjadip, the ship was launched into the water of the Bay of Bengal on 13 June 2023. The chief guest of the event was the then Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Forces Command (C-in-C, SFC), Vice Admiral R. B. Pandit. The event was followed by the keel laying of the seventh ship under ASW SWC at yard 3032, named INS Abhay.[14]
The ship was delivered to the Indian Navy on 22 December 2025[15][1] and was expected to be commissioned in January 2026.[16]
The ship was commissioned on 27 February at the Chennai Port under the Eastern Naval Command by the Chief of the Naval staff.[17][18]
Namesake[edit | edit source]
The ship, Anjadip, was named after her predecessor, a retired -class corvette, which itself was a subclass of Soviet-origin -class frigate.[15] The name of the ships is inspired by the Anjediva Island located off Karwar, Karnataka, reflecting the island's strategic importance in the maritime domain of India. The island is connected with the mainland of India by a breakwater and is part of INS Kadamba, a naval base.[14][15]
Design[edit | edit source]
Weapons[edit | edit source]
Sensors[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Anjadip, indigenous anti-submarine shallow water craft, joins the Navy". The Hindu. 22 December 2025. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
- ↑ "Indian Navy commissions 'Dolphin Hunter' INS Anjadip: All you need to know". mint. 27 February 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
- ↑ Bhatnagar, Gaurav Vivek (24 December 2013). "Four major acquisitions for the Navy and the Army approved". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 15 September 2025. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
- ↑ Prasad, KV (25 December 2013). "MoD clears Navy plans to get 16 shallow-water anti-sub vessels". Tribune India. Archived from the original on 29 August 2025. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
- ↑ "India issues $2.25bn tender to procure ASW shallow-water craft". Naval Technology. 18 June 2014. Archived from the original on 15 September 2025. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
- ↑ "Garden Reach Shipbuilders set to win ₹5,400-crore Navy order". BusinessLine. 16 January 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
- ↑ Himatsingka, Anuradha (29 April 2019). "GRSE signs contract for 8 anti-submarine warfare shallow water crafts for Indian Navy". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Contract Signing with M/S CSL and M/S GRSE for Acquisition of Sixteen Anti Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) for Indian Navy" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 30 April 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
- ↑ "GRSE Signs Contract for 08 Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Watercraft". psuwatch.com. 29 April 2019.
- ↑ "Cochin Shipyard gets Rs 6,311 crore contract for anti-submarine warfare ships". Business Today. 30 April 2019.
- ↑ "Cochin Shipyard gets ₹6,311 crore contract for anti-submarine warfare ships". mint. 30 April 2019.
- ↑ "Keel laying ceremony for 1st warship of ASW Shallow Water Craft Project and 3rd warship of Survey Vessel Large Project" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
- ↑ @OfficialGRSE (17 June 2022). "GRSE achieved a rare feat by laying the keels of three vessels -SVL(Yard 3028), ASWSWC (Yard 3030 & 3031) together for the Indian Navy on 17 Jun 22" (Tweet). Retrieved 15 September 2025 – via Twitter.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Launch of 'Anjadip' third ship of ASW SWC (GRSE) and keel laying of 7th ship of ASW SWC Project at M/s L&T, Kattupalli on 13 Jun 23" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 "Delivery of 'Anjadip' - third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft to the Indian Navy" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 22 December 2025. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
- ↑ "ENC strengthens fleet with Taragiri and Anjadip in January". The Times of India. 6 December 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ↑ "Commissioning of INS Anjadip at Chennai" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 27 February 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
- ↑ Jaiswal, Arushi (23 February 2026). "Indian Navy to commission INS Anjadip on February 27, strengthening anti-submarine warfare fleet". India TV News. Retrieved 23 February 2026.