Daijiworld Media Network – Chennai

Chennai, Feb 25: The Indian Navy is set to commission its advanced anti-submarine warfare vessel INS Anjadip in Chennai, a move expected to significantly bolster India’s coastal defence preparedness.

INS Anjadip is the third of eight ships being built under the Navy’s Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) project. The vessel has been constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.

According to an official release issued on Wednesday, the 77-metre-long warship has been designed to operate in complex littoral zones — coastal and shallow waters crucial to India’s maritime security. Equipped with a high-speed water-jet propulsion system, the vessel can achieve a top speed of 25 knots, enabling swift response and sustained near-shore operations.

Dubbed a “Dolphin Hunter”, INS Anjadip’s primary role is to detect, track and neutralise enemy submarines in coastal waters. The ship is fitted with an advanced indigenous anti-submarine warfare weapons and sensor suite, including the hull-mounted sonar ‘Abhay’. It is also armed with lightweight torpedoes and anti-submarine warfare rockets, enhancing its capability to counter underwater threats.

Chief of the Naval Staff Dinesh K Tripathi is scheduled to preside over the commissioning ceremony on Friday.

The warship is named after Anjadip Island, located off the Karwar coast in North Karnataka in the Arabian Sea. Its induction is expected to strengthen the Navy’s ability to safeguard India’s extensive maritime interests, particularly along the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts.

Apart from its core anti-submarine role, INS Anjadip is capable of undertaking coastal surveillance, low-intensity maritime operations, and search-and-rescue missions, making it a versatile addition to the Navy’s expanding fleet.