INS Mahe commissioned: Features, strategic significance of ships, Pg16

Key Highlights:

• INS Mahe, the first of the indigenously designed Mahe-class Anti Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), was commissioned by the Indian Navy on Monday.
• Designed and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), INS Mahe is the lead ship of eight vessels in its class.
• The ships are designed for underwater surveillance, search and rescue operations and Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO).
• The ship is equipped with advanced weapons, sensors, and communication systems and has a maximum speed of 25 knots and endurance of 1,800 nautical miles.
• The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the procurement of 16 ASW vessels in December 2013 at a cost of over Rs 13,000 crore.

Detailed Insights:

• The Mahe-class ASW-SWC ships are crucial for detecting and countering diesel-electric submarines operating near the coastline, enhancing coastal surveillance for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations.
• With a length of 78 meters and a width of 11.36 meters, these vessels are designed to operate effectively in shallow waters, securing harbour approaches, sea-lanes, and offshore energy assets.
• The commissioning of INS Mahe and its sister ships will establish a structured ASW protection wall along India's coastline, freeing up major warships for blue-water tasks and deterring covert underwater intrusions.
• The project has over 80 percent indigenous content with participation from industry partners including BEL, L&T Defence, Mahindra Defence Systems, NPOL and more than 20 MSMEs.
• These ships replace the Abhay-class corvettes, which were decommissioned between 2017 and October 2025.

Key Concepts Involved:

• ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare): Naval operations to detect, track, and neutralize enemy submarines.
• Littorals: Shallow and near-shore maritime zones that are strategically and economically critical.
• Blue-water tasks: Naval operations in the open ocean, far from the coast.