Anjadip: Indigenous ASW Shallow Water Craft

Why in News ?

The Indian Navy has received ‘Anjadip’, an Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at Chennai. It is the third vessel in the series of eight such ships being inducted to strengthen India’s coastal and littoral defence capabilities.

Background & Context

India’s long coastline, dense maritime traffic, and increasing underwater threats in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) have necessitated the development of specialised platforms for shallow-water anti-submarine operations. Conventional large warships are less effective in coastal waters due to depth constraints and manoeuvrability issues.

To address this gap, the Indian Navy conceptualised the ASW Shallow Water Craft programme under the broader vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence, aiming to enhance indigenous shipbuilding, reduce import dependence, and improve maritime domain awareness close to the coast.

Anjadip Ship: Key Details

• Type: Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC)
• Series: Third of eight ships
• Builder:
  • Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata
  • Built under Public–Private Partnership (PPP) with L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli
• Design & Classification:
  • Indigenously designed
  • Constructed as per Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) rules

Legacy and Nomenclature

• Named after Anjadip Island, located off the coast of Karwar, Karnataka
• Symbolic reincarnation of the earlier INS Anjadip:
  • A Petya-class corvette
  • Decommissioned in 2003
• Reflects continuity of naval heritage and tradition

Technical Features of Anjadip

Performance and Propulsion

• Maximum speed: ~25 knots
• Propulsion:
  • Waterjet propulsion system
  • Largest Indian naval warship class to be propelled by waterjets
• Enhanced manoeuvrability in shallow and confined waters

Combat and Sensor Systems

• Lightweight Torpedoes (state-of-the-art)
• Indigenously designed Anti-Submarine Rockets
• Shallow-water SONAR systems for submarine detection
• Optimised for operations in littoral and coastal zones

Strategic Significance

• Strengthens:
  • Anti-submarine warfare capability
  • Coastal surveillance
  • Mine-laying operations
• Enhances India’s ability to counter:
  • Enemy submarines
  • Asymmetric maritime threats in shallow waters
• Acts as a force multiplier for coastal security architecture

Contribution to Indigenous Defence Ecosystem

• Demonstrates maturity of India’s domestic shipbuilding industry
• Reinforces:
  • Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat
  • Public–Private Partnership model in defence manufacturing
• Reduces reliance on foreign platforms and systems

Relevance for India’s Maritime Security

• Supports protection of:
  • Ports and harbours
  • Offshore infrastructure
  • Sea lines of communication (SLOCs)
• Complements larger surface combatants and submarines
• Enhances India’s preparedness in the Indian Ocean Region