The keel laying ceremony for the 8th ASW SWC (formerly GRSE) took place at M/s GRSE, Kolkata on May 10, 2024. Vice Admiral B. Sivakumar, Controller Warship Production & Acquisition, presided over the ceremony, accompanied by Commodore P.R. Hari, IN (Retd), Chairman & Managing Director of GRSE, and other senior officials from the Indian Navy and M/s GRSE.
The contract for the indigenous design and construction of 08 x ASW SWC ships was finalized on April 29, 2019, between the Ministry of Defence and M/s GRSE, Kolkata. Currently, six ships of the project have been launched, with the delivery of the first ship (Arnala) scheduled for August 2024.
The Arnala Class of ships is intended to replace the in-service Abhay class ASW Corvettes of the Indian Navy. They are designed for anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO), and Mine Laying Operations. The keel laying of Yard 3034, the last ship of the Project, marks another significant milestone in the Indian Navy’s endeavor towards indigenous shipbuilding and aligns with the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ initiatives of the nation.
