Government of India’s Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has supplied the entire requirement of special steel for the nation’s first indigenously designed and built Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), ‘INS Arnala’, which was commissioned into the Indian Navy on June 18.

This marks a major step towards the country’s self-reliance in the defence sector and decreasing dependency on import. SAIL has also catered to the entire requirement of special steel for the other seven ASW-SWC corvettes being built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).

“Partnering India’s march towards defence indigenisation, SAIL has supplied the entire special steel for this project. This marks yet another impressive milestone in SAIL’s journey to support India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative and help the nation lessen its import dependence,” the Ministry of Steel said in a statement.

SAIL has supplied special steel for building the Navy’s ships earlier as well, including for INS Vikrant, INS Vindyagiri, INS Nilgiri, INS Surat, among other notable projects.

What is INS Arnala?

India’s first indigenously designed and built Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), INS Arnala, was commissioned at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday. The Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan presided over the ceremony.

“INS Arnala – the pioneering Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft – proudly joins the Indian Navy today, 18 June 2025, at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam,” the Indian Navy said in a statement earlier.

The 77-metre-long vessel, named after the historic Arnala fort off Vasai, Maharashtra, is equipped with advanced underwater surveillance systems, mine-laying capabilities, and is designed for operations in shallow waters. It is the largest Indian Naval warship propelled by a diesel engine-waterjet combination.

INS Arnala built by GRSE, Kolkata

Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, and delivered on May 8 at L&T Shipyard in Kattupalli under a Public-Private Partnership, INS Arnala is the first in a series of eight ASW-SWCs being developed to enhance India’s coastal defence.

Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd is a leading Indian shipbuilding company primarily focused on building warships for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard. It also constructs commercial vessels and engages in engineering and engine production. GRSE is a diversified, profit-making entity and is the first shipyard in India to export warships.

INS Arnala was delivered to Indian Navy during Operation Sindoor

The ship has been designed for underwater surveillance, search and rescue operations, and Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO), revealed the Defence Ministry. Notably, INS Arnala was delivered to the Indian Navy during the recent Operation Sindoor under which a series of coordinated military strikes were conducted by the Indian Armed Forces in May 2025. The military strikes targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that led to the deaths of 26 civilians.