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The eighth and last ship of the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), Yard 3034 (Ajay), indigenously designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), was launched on 21 July 2025 at GRSE, Kolkata in the presence of Chief of Material (COM) Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh. In keeping with naval tradition, Smt. Priya Deshmukh launched the ship. Senior officers of the Indian Navy and GRSE were present on the occasion.
The first ship of the Arnala class was inducted into the Navy on 18 June 2025. The delivery of the second ship is planned in August 2025. This warship will enhance the underwater surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and mine laying capabilities of the Indian Navy.
The ship is equipped with role-defining sensors such as Hull Mounted Sonar and Low Frequency Variable Depth Sonar (LFVDS), and its firepower is provided by state-of-the-art torpedoes, anti-submarine rockets, NSG-30 guns and 12.7 mm SRCG. The ship is powered by diesel engines and waterjets.
The launch of Ajay is an important milestone in the Indian Navy's continued pursuit of self-reliance in shipbuilding, weapons, sensors and advanced communication and electronic warfare systems. With over 80% indigenous content, the ship symbolises the Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives of the Government of India. It will provide critical capabilities for safeguarding our national maritime interests in the Indian Ocean Region.
Ajay Kumar Pandey