The Indian Navy is set to achieve a new milestone in its drive toward self-reliance with the commissioning of INS Mahe, the first of the Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW-SWCs). The vessel will be officially inducted at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on November 24, marking a significant step forward in India’s indigenous shipbuilding capabilities.Built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi, INS Mahe is a key symbol of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, reflecting the Navy’s sustained push for homegrown defence technologies. Designed and constructed entirely in India, the vessel demonstrates the nation’s growing expertise in modern naval architecture, combat systems, and platform integration.Compact yet formidable, Mahe blends agility, endurance, and cutting-edge technology—qualities essential for operations in shallow waters and coastal zones. Equipped with advanced sonar, radar, and weapons systems, the ship is designed for anti-submarine warfare, coastal patrols, underwater surveillance, low-intensity maritime operations (LIMO), and mine-laying missions. Its primary role will be to safeguard India’s critical maritime approaches and counter underwater threats in littoral regions. According to the Ministry of Defence, Mahe was delivered to the Indian Navy on October 23, 2025, ahead of its commissioning. At approximately 78 metres in length and displacing around 1,100 tons, the platform integrates torpedo systems and multifunctional anti-submarine rockets, giving it significant capability for underwater combat and area denial.With over 80 percent indigenous content, the Mahe-class ships represent a major leap in India’s quest for self-reliance in naval ship design and production. The vessel’s crest features the Urumi—the flexible sword of Kalarippayattu—symbolizing the same agility, precision, and lethal grace that define the ship’s operational character.Named after the historic coastal town of Mahe on the Malabar Coast, INS Mahe heralds the arrival of a new generation of Indian-built shallow-water combatants—sleek, swift, and resolutely Indian. Seven more ships of this class will follow, further bolstering the Navy’s capabilities in coastal defence and anti-submarine warfare.