The Indian Navy is set to strengthen its coastal defence capabilities with the commissioning of INS Malvan, the second vessel of the Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) programme, on July 22, 2026. The induction ceremony in Kochi will be officiated by Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, marking another milestone in the expansion of India’s littoral warfare fleet.
Purpose-built for anti-submarine operations in shallow coastal waters, the Mahe-class is designed to tackle the unique acoustic challenges of the Indian Ocean’s littoral zones, where detecting submarines is considerably more difficult than in deep-sea environments. INS Malvan is equipped with an advanced indigenous sonar suite optimized for shallow-water operations, along with lightweight torpedoes and anti-submarine rocket launchers that provide precision engagement against underwater threats.
Constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), the vessel incorporates more than 80 percent indigenous content, underscoring the success of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The high level of domestic manufacturing enhances technological self-reliance by enabling local maintenance, upgrades, and lifecycle support.
INS Malvan follows the commissioning of the lead ship, INS Mahe, in November 2025, further strengthening the Navy’s dedicated shallow-water ASW capability. The induction comes as India modernizes its naval force to counter increasing submarine activity in the Indian Ocean, providing agile, sensor-intensive platforms capable of protecting coastal infrastructure and maritime assets. The Mahe-class reflects the Navy’s evolving strategy of combining specialized coastal defence platforms with its larger blue-water fleet to create a layered and more resilient maritime security architecture.
