ASW Anjadip: Indian Navy's hunt for rival submarines set to receive boost with 'Dolphin Hunter'

The vessel is engineered to act as a 'Dolphin Hunter', focused on the detection, tracking, and neutralisation of enemy submarines in coastal areas.

• Indian Navy to commission third ASW-SWC vessel Anjadip on Feb 27
• Anjadip is 88% indigenous, built by GRSE under PPP with L&T
• The ship boosts coastal defence with advanced anti-submarine tech

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The Indian Navy is set to strengthen its coastal defence and underwater combat capabilities with the commissioning of Anjadip, the third vessel under the eight-ship Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) project.

The warship will be formally commissioned into the Navy at Chennai Port on February 27. The ceremony will be presided over by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, Indian Navy said in a statement.

At approximately 77 metres in length, Anjadip is among the largest Indian naval warships propelled by waterjets. With three water jets fitted to marine diesel engines, the vessel is highly agile and manoeuvrable, operating with a shallow draft of just 2.7 metres,  ideal for detecting sub-surface threats in coastal waters.

The vessel is engineered to act as a 'Dolphin Hunter', focused on the detection, tracking, and neutralisation of enemy submarines in coastal areas. The ship is packed with an indigenous, cutting-edge Anti-Submarine Warfare weapons and sensor package, including the Hull Mounted Sonar Abhay, and armed with Lightweight Torpedoes and ASW Rockets. In addition to its primary ASW role, the agile and highly manoeuvrable warship is also equipped to undertake Coastal Surveillance, Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) and Search & Rescue operations. The 77 meter-long ship, features a high-speed Water-Jet Propulsion system, enabling it to achieve a top speed of 25 knots for rapid response and sustained operations.

Like its predecessors, the ship features an indigenous 30 mm Naval Surface Gun manufactured by GRSE and boasts nearly 88% indigenous content. The ASW-SWCs are equipped with state-of-the-art lightweight torpedoes, indigenously designed anti-submarine rockets and shallow water SONAR systems, enabling effective detection and engagement of underwater threats. The ship can accommodate 57 personnel, including seven officers, and is capable of full-scale sub-surface surveillance, search-and-attack missions, coordinated anti-submarine operations with aircraft, and mine-laying tasks.

The ship is a reincarnation of the erstwhile INS Anjadip, a Petya-class corvette decommissioned in 2003. It derives its name from Anjadip Island off the coast of Karwar, Karnataka, symbolising India’s maritime heritage and coastal security focus.

‘Anjadip’, indigenously designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, was delivered to the Indian Navy on December 22, 2025, at Chennai. The ship marks GRSE’s 115th warship built and the 77th delivered to the Navy. It was formally accepted by Rear Admiral Gautam Marwaha, Chief Staff Officer (Technical), Eastern Naval Command.

The vessel follows four other warships delivered earlier in 2025, the advanced guided missile frigate Himgiri, the first two ASW SWCs Arnala and Androth, and the survey vessel (large) Ikshak, underlining GRSE’s strong production pace.

Designed under a public-private partnership between GRSE and L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli, the ships have been constructed as per the classification rules of Indian Register of Shipping (IRS), showcasing the success of collaborative defence manufacturing in India.

Anjadip’s delivery marks another milestone in the Navy’s push for indigenous shipbuilding, aligning with the government’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. With over 80% indigenous content, the vessel stands as a testament to India’s expanding domestic defence manufacturing ecosystem and its steady move towards reducing import dependency.