INS Malvan, second Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Craft, commissioned into Indian Navy
By Aroonim Bhuyan
New Delhi. INS Malvan, the second indigenously designed and built Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), was commissioned into the Indian Navy at Karwar on July 22 in a ceremony presided over by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, along with senior naval officers, representatives of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi, veterans and other distinguished guests.
Named after the historic coastal town of Malvan in Maharashtra, the vessel carries a strong connection to the maritime legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It also continues the legacy of an earlier Indian naval vessel bearing the same name, an inshore minesweeper that served the Navy until 2003.
INS Malvan is the second of eight Mahe-class ASW-SWCs being built indigenously by CSL and the sixth among a total of 16 ASW-SWCs planned for induction into the Indian Navy. With more than 80 percent indigenous content, the vessel reflects India’s growing capabilities in naval design, equipment manufacturing and systems integration, while advancing the government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-reliant India) initiative in defence shipbuilding.
The warship is designed to undertake underwater surveillance and anti-submarine warfare missions, as well as low-intensity maritime operations and mine warfare. Its induction is expected to strengthen India’s coastal defence and littoral security capabilities while enhancing the Navy’s maritime domain awareness.
The ship’s crest features the ‘Bagh Nakha’ or tiger’s claw, symbolising courage, tactical prowess, agility and audacity. The emblem reflects the vessel’s operational ethos of stealthily approaching and delivering swift strikes. The waves surrounding the Bagh Nakha represent the vast maritime expanse around India’s coastline and the Navy’s resolve to remain vigilant in protecting the country’s maritime interests and sovereignty. Its motto, ‘Silent Claws’, signifies stealth, lethality and the ability to strike swiftly.
Addressing the gathering, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh underlined the importance of protecting sea lines of communication to ensure uninterrupted maritime trade at a time of growing global uncertainties. He commended the Indian Navy’s expansion and its focus on indigenous defence production, particularly the high level of domestic content achieved in INS Malvan.
The Chief of the Air Staff also highlighted the Navy’s practice of involving its officers directly in the shipbuilding process, saying that adopting similar approaches across the wider defence ecosystem could help accelerate India’s drive towards self-reliance.
He further stressed the importance of tri-service integration and called for greater jointness among the Army, Navy and Air Force to ensure that the country operates as a unified force in future conflicts.
The commissioning of INS Malvan is expected to provide a further boost to the Indian Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The vessel is capable of operating alongside larger surface combatants, submarines and aviation assets, strengthening the Navy’s ability to maintain a combat-ready, credible, cohesive and future-ready posture while safeguarding India’s maritime interests and national security.
