Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd launched the 8th and last ship in a series of Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW SWCs)on Monday, which it is building for the Navy.
The ship, named Ajay, was launched by Priya Deshmukh, wife of Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh, Chief of Materiel, Indian Navy. Vice Admiral Deshmukh was the chief guest at the occasion. The launch brought back memories.
There was another ship by that name. INS Ajay was the country’s first indigenous warship built by GRSE for the Navy in 1961. It set the path for domestic defence shipbuilding. The Ajay launched on Monday is more advanced and an example of the immense progress that the shipyard has made over the last 64 years, during which it built over 110 warships for the Navy and Coast Guard.
The first ASW SWC INS Arnala was commissioned into the Navy on June 18, 2025. Androth, the second ship, has also completed its contractor sea trials successfully and is ready to be delivered. Ajay was launched less than nine months after the launch of Abhay, the 7th vessel in the series.
While the primary role of these unique ASWSWCs is to keep the waters near the coasts clear of enemy submarines, they are versatile platforms and can participate in a variety of operations. These ships are designed and built with low draughts, and they are thus capable of coastal operations.
They are equally capable of Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) and laying mines. These 77.6-metre-long and 10.5-metre-wide extremely potent warships are also capable of full-scale sub-surface surveillance in coastal waters and can carry out operations against surface platforms as well.
They can carry out coordinated anti-submarine operations with aircraft. These warships pack a lethal anti-submarine suite comprising lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets and mines. They are also armed with a 30 mm Close-in Weapons System and 12.7 mm Stabilised Remote-Control Guns.
They are fitted with a Hull Mounted Sonar and a Low-Frequency Variable Depth Sonar for effective underwater surveillance. Vice Admiral Deshmukh mentioned that GRSE has progressed leaps and bounds and become one of the premier defence shipyards of the country, having a unique distinction of building more than 110 warships.
He further said: "Commissioning of Arnala, the first of the class last month and the second one inching towards delivery now, reinforces GRSE's strong partnership with the Indian Navy and Indian industry.
It is our quest to become a modern blue water Navy, and GRSE is providing the necessary support. GRSE has designed and built the highest number of warships, delivered by any other Indian shipyard.
I am glad to note that in addition to ASW shallow water crafts, the shipyard is constructing P-17 Alpha frigates, survey vessels, large and NGOPVs, as well as a large number of special projects. This proves the versatility of GRSE and its status as a major shipyard in the country."
Cmde P R Hari, IN (Retd), chairman and managing director, GRSE, noted how the years to come will be extremely crucial as the shipyard has several ships at various stages of outfitting and will be delivered subsequently.
“With 16 warships under construction for the Indian Navy and many more orders for warships expected, I am confident that GRSE will deliver a century of warships to the Indian Navy within a decade,” Cmde Hari said.