INS Mahe, the first of the Mahe-class shallow-water anti-submarine warfare vessels, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on Monday, November 23, by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Upendra Dwivedi.
The ceremony, which was held at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, was hosted by Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Flag Commander-in-Chief, Western Naval Command.
What is INS Mahe? “The Silent Hunter”
INS Mahe is the first of the Mahe-class anti-submarine warfare vessels, known in naval terms as ASW-SWC.
The Mahe-class vessel is designed for shallow waters and strengthens coastal defenses. It will help detect and neutralize enemy submarines.
The ship was built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) and delivered to the Navy on 23 October. It is the first of eight ASW-SWCs being built by Cochin Shipyard Limited. Full induction is expected by 2027.
Indian naval officers board INS Mahe, the first of the Mahe-class anti-submarine warfare vessels, during its commissioning ceremony at the Mumbai Naval Dockyard on November 24, 2025. (Photo: Punit PARANJPE / AFP)(AFP)
what’s in a name
INS Mahe was named after the historic coastal town of Mahe on the Malabar Coast, a symbol of India’s maritime heritage.
Meanwhile, the ship’s motto “Silent Hunters” embodies stealth, vigilance and unwavering determination – qualities that define the anti-submarine warfare ethos, the Indian Navy said.
Key features
The ship was equipped with torpedoes and anti-submarine missiles. It is designed to hunt submarines, conduct coastal patrols and secure India’s important sea approaches.
ASW SWC ships are 78 meters long and displace approximately 900 tons with a top speed of 25 knots.
The Navy said the ship’s coat of arms features ‘Urumi’ – a flexible Kalarippayattu sword that symbolizes agility, precision and deadly grace, it added.
The commissioning of INS Mahe marks the arrival of a new generation of indigenous shallow-water combatants – “sleek, fast and decidedly Indian,” the defense ministry said, adding that INS Mahe has more than 80 percent of its original content.
She will serve as the ‘Silent Hunter’ on the West Coast – self-powered and dedicated to protecting India’s maritime borders.
Expert explains the significance of INS Mahe
Lt Col JS Sodhi (Retd), Panel Member and Advisor, National Commission for Minorities, Government of India, emphasized that “submarines are gaining an increasingly important role in modern naval warfare”.
He noted that Pakistan “is slated to acquire six Hangor-class submarines from China; and China, as we know, has a very large submarine fleet.”
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He said: “…15 submarines are being built in a Chinese shipyard day and night with the aim of now being completed by 2030.”
Lt Col JS Sodhi (Retd) also recalled General Upendra Dwivedi’s March 17 comment that “a two-front war against India is no longer possible, it is a reality”.
“In the backdrop of this March 17 statement by the Chief of the Indian Army and the fact that China and Pakistan are adding submarines in a big way, today’s launch of INS Mahe assumes immense significance as it has a large anti-submarine warfare capacity and capability.”
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This is also because its specifications are such that it can work even in shallow waters. “This way, it is very difficult for the enemy to target the ship because it has a lot of maneuverability, whether in deep or shallow waters.
“And it also shows the success of Aatmnirbhar Bharat or the initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi where more than 75 percent of the components of INS Mahe were indigenously manufactured,” he said.
