Anti-submarine warfare shallow-water craft Mahe, armed with torpedoes, multi-functional anti-submarine rockets and advanced radars and sonars, will be commissioned into the Indian Navy on November 24, officials said on Sunday.
The first of eight ASW-SWC vessels built by Cochin Shipyard Limited and named after the historic port town in Puducherry, Mahe reflects what the Navy calls India’s maritime heritage.
“With her blend of firepower, stealth and mobility, the ship is designed to hunt submarines, conduct coastal patrols, and secure India’s vital maritime approaches,” a Navy spokesperson said.
Delivered to the Navy on October 23, the vessel marks another milestone in indigenous shipbuilding under Aatmanirbhar Bharat, with the service describing the compact platform as agile, precise and built for endurance.
With more than 80 per cent indigenous content, the Mahe-class showcases India’s growing mastery in warship design, construction and integration, it said.
Named after the historic coastal town on the Malabar Coast, the ship’s crest features an 'Urumi', the flexible sword of ‘Kalarippayattu’, a martial art from Kerala, symbolising agility, precision, and lethal grace, the Navy said.
“The commissioning of 'Mahe' will mark the arrival of a new generation of indigenous shallow-water combatants -- sleek, swift, and resolutely Indian,” it said.
