Latest news with #DefenceStaff
Hans India
3 days ago
- Hans India
INS Arnala Joins Indian Navy as New Anti-Submarine Warship
On 18 June 2025, INS Arnala was added to the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy. The event took place at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam. General Anil Chauhan, the Chief of Defence Staff, attended the ceremony. The warship is the first in a new group called Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft. It was built to find and stop enemy submarines. It can also do search and rescue missions and other small naval tasks. INS Arnala is 77 meters long and weighs over 1,490 tonnes. It is the biggest Indian warship that uses a diesel engine and waterjet to move. The ship was made in India by GRSE and Larsen & Toubro Shipbuilding. This shows India's progress in making its own defence equipment. It supports the goal of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India). The Chief of Defence Staff said India's Navy is growing stronger. The country is building more warships on its own. Indian warships now use modern tools like stealth systems, radars, and electronic warfare tech. INS Arnala is named after a fort in Maharashtra. It is a symbol of India's power at sea and success in local shipbuilding.
India Today
3 days ago
- Business
- India Today
INS Arnala, India's first-of-its-kind shallow water submarine hunter commissioned
INS Arnala, the first vessel in the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) series, was formally commissioned into the Indian Navy on June 18, 2025. The commissioning ceremony took place at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam in the presence of Chief of Defence Staff General Anil event was hosted by the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, and was attended by senior naval officials, dignitaries, representatives from Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Larsen & Toubro Shipbuilding, and former commanding officers of the previous INS Arnala, named after the historic coastal fort in Maharashtra, is a 77-meter-long warship with a displacement of over 1,490 tonnes. It is the largest Indian naval ship powered by a Diesel Engine-Waterjet propulsion system. Designed for diverse roles, it is capable of sub-surface surveillance, interdiction, low-intensity maritime operations, and search and rescue missions. The warship exemplifies India's commitment to strengthening indigenous defence capabilities. Its design and construction are a product of domestic collaboration between Indian shipyards and naval engineers, highlighting India's shift from a "Buyer's Navy" to a "Builder's Navy". The commissioning highlights the Indian Navy's role in achieving maritime self-reliance and supporting the broader vision of Aatmanirbhar his address, General Chauhan lauded the Navy's efforts in building indigenous capabilities and outlined the strategic value of such warships in India's expanding maritime ambitions. He noted that with numerous ships under construction domestically — including capital warships and support vessels - India has become a significant force in global naval also emphasised that today's indigenous warships are equipped with advanced home-grown systems such as stealth features, electronic warfare capabilities, and sophisticated sensors, greatly enhancing operational readiness. The induction of INS Arnala represents a step toward realising India's long-term defence objectives and enhancing its preparedness for future maritime challenges.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
INS Arnala joins fleet: Navy inducts India's first anti-submarine shallow water craft in Visakhapatnam; boost to coastal defence under ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat'
VISAKHAPATNAM : Strengthening the country's coastal defence, The Indian Navy has commissioned INS Arnala, India's first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at the Visakhapatnam dockyard on Wednesday under the Eastern Naval Command. The commissioning ceremony was presided over by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan and attended by Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, ENC, along with senior naval officers and representatives from the shipbuilding industry. INS Arnala was designed and constructed indigenously as part of the ' Aatmanirbhar Bharat ' initiative. The state-of-the-art vessel signals an advancement in strengthening India's maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The primary role of the ship is to detect, track, and prosecute enemy submarines, particularly in coastal and shallow water regions. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan stated that India acquired a stature as a significant maritime power and is now regarded as a preferred security partner in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). This status was achieved by leveraging India's strategic location, economic influence, and the strength and capabilities of the Indian Navy. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo As we protect and preserve vital sea lanes crucial for global trade and energy flows, our naval platforms play a role in maintaining maritime security, countering piracy, and ensuring the safety of our shipping routes. Considering the current flux in the geopolitical environment and the ever-challenging security situations, our Navy needs to remain strong, credible, and equipped with the latest state-of-the-art ships, he added. During the recent Operation Sindoor, it was a matter of pride that the firepower available at sea, in terms of both ship and air-launched missiles, imposed a significant impact on the enemy's operation planning and tactical actions. Consequently, the Indian Navy established a kind of de facto blockade, thus confining the Pakistan Navy and their activities to the harbour or near the coastline only, Gen Anil Chauhan added. With 60 ships at different stages of construction and more than 180 ships at the pre-contract stage, it's a testimony of the govt's commitment towards raising and maintaining a strong blue-water maritime force, he added. Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, ENC, expressed that INS Arnala was designed to counter submarine threats in shallow waters. INS Arnala is purpose-built to protect the coastal and offshore assets as well as choke points from threats that are becoming increasingly quiet, fast, and invisible. Arnala is also the first IN platform to have been installed with and successfully fired the 30 mm Naval Surface Gun (NSG), a close-in-weapon system, he added. Arnala, the first of the eight ASW SWCs indigenously designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, was delivered to the Indian Navy on May 8 at L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli. The warship was designed and constructed as per the Classification Rules of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) of GRSE with L&T Shipyard, thus demonstrating the success of collaborative defence manufacturing. Arnala is named after the historic fort 'Arnala' located off Vasai, Maharashtra, a reflection of India's rich maritime heritage. At 77 metres in length and displacing over 1,490 tonnes, Arnala stands as the largest Indian naval vessel equipped with a diesel engine-waterjet propulsion system, a configuration that significantly improves speed and manoeuvrability in shallow waters. The vessel is specifically designed for underwater surveillance, search and rescue operations, as well as Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO).
Scroll.in
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
India has more nuclear warheads than Pakistan, China far ahead: Global arms watchdog
Although India has a slight edge over Pakistan in terms of the number of nuclear warheads, it is far behind China, said the global arms watchdog Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, or SIPRI, on Monday. According to the organisation's assessment, India has 180 nuclear warheads, while Pakistan has 170. China is estimated to have 600 nuclear warheads as of January. Of these, 24 are deployed warheads, which means that they are either placed on missiles or are located at bases with operational forces. Nine countries currently have nuclear weapons: the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel. Of these, Russia, with 5,459 warheads, and the United States, with 5,177, have the largest total nuclear inventories. India is believed to have slightly expanded its nuclear arsenal in 2024 and continues to develop new types of nuclear delivery systems, SIPRI said in its yearbook on Monday. 'India's new 'canisterised' missiles, which can be transported with mated warheads, may be capable of carrying nuclear warheads during peacetime, and possibly even multiple warheads on each missile, once they become operational,' it said. The organisation made a note of last month's four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. In this context, Matt Korda, the associate senior researcher with SIPRI's Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme, said: 'The combination of strikes on nuclear-related military infrastructure and third-party disinformation risked turning a conventional conflict into a nuclear crisis. This should act as a stark warning for states seeking to increase their reliance on nuclear weapons.' Indian officials, including Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan, have maintained that during the conflict in May, neither side came close to considering the use of nuclear weapons, The Times of India reported. Nevertheless, Korda remarked: 'As the recent flare-up of hostilities in India and Pakistan amply demonstrated, nuclear weapons do not prevent conflict. They also come with immense risks of escalation and catastrophic miscalculation – particularly when disinformation is rife – and may end up making a country's population less safe, not more.' The SIPRI report said that China's nuclear stockpile is growing faster than that of any other country. 'By January 2025, China had completed or was close to completing around 350 new ICBM [intercontinental ballistic missile] silos in three large desert fields in the north of the country and three mountainous areas in the east,' it said.
The Print
5 days ago
- Business
- The Print
India's 1st-of-its-kind INS Arnala set to guard coastal waters against submarine intrusions
The commissioning ceremony will be presided over by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Anil Chauhan and attended by senior naval officers and representatives from the shipbuilding industry. Sources in the Navy explain that while larger surface combatants such as frigates and destroyers possess anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities, their primary operational roles remain offensive, focused on anti-air and anti-surface missions. In contrast, the Arnala-class is purpose built for defensive ops, specifically sub hunting in coastal areas, enabling high-value platforms to concentrate on broader strategic objectives. New Delhi: The Indian Navy is set to commission INS Arnala, the country's first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at Visakhapatnam dockyard on Wednesday under the Eastern Naval Command. At 77 metres in length and displacing over 1,490 tonnes, Arnala is the largest Indian naval vessel to be powered by a diesel engine-waterjet propulsion system, a combination that enhances speed and maneuverability in shallow waters. 'The platform is designed for subsurface surveillance, search and rescue operations and low intensity maritime operations (LIMO); alongside its primary role in anti-submarine warfare. It is further equipped with mine-laying capabilities, a rare feature for its class,' said the Navy in a statement. Sources in the Navy said, 'Since there is a possibility of the adversary's submarines being required to navigate littoral (coastal) zones with depths as shallow as 50 to 60 metres to achieve effective torpedo firing positions, Arnala is engineered to detect, track and engage such threats at stand-off ranges, mitigating risks to high-value surface assets operating in proximity.' The vessel will be fitted with an indigenised version of the variable-depth sonar system developed jointly by India's CFF Fluid Control Ltd and Atlas Elektronik, a subsidiary under the German firm Thyssenkrupp. Operating in both active and passive modes, this sonar system is capable of detecting underwater threats at ranges that exceed the engagement envelope of most enemy submarines, providing an opportunity to neutralise hostile platforms preemptively. The sources also explained the platform's strategic relevance in the regional maritime context, particularly in relation to Pakistan's naval posture. 'Given Pakistan's limited inventory of modern surface combatants and the absence of dedicated ASW platforms, its naval strategy in a conflict scenario is expected to rely heavily on submarines. In this environment, the Arnala-class is positioned to play a critical role in securing India's coastal waters, thereby allowing larger Indian naval assets to operate with greater operational flexibility in offensive or expeditionary roles.' Named after a coastal fort in Maharashtra, the homegrown vessel has been designed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) under a public-private partnership with Larsen & Toubro (L&T). It is also the first Indian naval warship to be both designed and built by the shipbuilder, marking a departure from the traditional practice where the Navy provides the design. Further, with over 80% indigenous content, the ASW-SWC integrates advanced systems from Indian defence majors such as Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), L&T, Mahindra Defence and MEIL. The first eight vessels in the ASW-SWC class are being constructed by GRSE, while the remaining eight are to be designed and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). Arnala will replace the Navy's ageing Abhay-class which are customised variants of the Soviet Pauk-class corvettes, used for coastal anti-submarine operations. The new class marks a significant upgrade over its predecessor, offering a larger size, survivability and advanced combat systems. A second vessel in the ASW-SWC series is expected to be commissioned later this year. Over time, the Navy plans to deploy all sixteen ASW-SWC vessels to safeguard India's sixteen major ports, establishing a robust anti-submarine shield along the coastline. (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: All about the P-8I Poseidon, India's 'Eye in the Sky' amid tensions over Pahalgam terror attack
