New Delhi
The Indian Navy will on Wednesday commission its second indigenous Mahi-class anti-submarine warfare ship (ASW-SWC) Malvan in Kochi, highlighting how the service will step up indigenization to emerge as a fully self-reliant force by 2047 when the country celebrates the centenary of its independence, officials familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.
This will be the seventh Indian warship to enter service in the Navy this year, officials said. Built by Cochin Shipyard Limited and having over 80% local content, Malvan will commission into service in the presence of Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh and Chief of Western Naval Command Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan.
The warship’s main roles include subsurface surveillance, search and attack missions and coordinated anti-submarine operations. It is equipped with anti-submarine missile launchers, lightweight torpedoes, anti-submarine mines, a 30 mm naval surface gun, and a stabilized, remotely controlled 12.7 mm M2 gun.
INS Mahe, the first of eight ships in its class, was commissioned last November in the presence of Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi. The officials added that the Navy expects to operate seven to eight more indigenous warships this year.
On July 11, the Navy commissioned its newest stealth frigate, INS Mahendragiri, to bolster its presence in the Indian Ocean region and the broader Indo-Pacific region as China continues to expand its maritime reach. It is the sixth of seven stealth frigates under command $45,000 Crores Project 17A. These frigates are capable of conducting the full range of maritime operations, including fleet air defence, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction, surveillance and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).
The Navy is working to achieve full self-reliance by 2047 when India celebrates 100 years of independence. There are about 60 warships under construction in various Indian shipyards.
