Meet INS Anjadip: India’s newest ‘Dolphin Hunter’ warship commissioned at Chennai Port

New shallow-water anti-submarine craft joins the fleet, expanding coastal surveillance and littoral combat capability as the Navy targets 15 more inductions this year.

The Indian Navy on Friday commissioned INS Anjadip, an indigenous anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft, at the Chennai Port. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi formally inducted the warship at a ceremony attended by senior Navy and government officials.

Here is a quick guide to what INS Anjadip brings to the fleet.

INS Anjadip is an anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASW-SWC). It is designed to strengthen the Indian Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities and enhance coastal surveillance.

The vessel is the third of eight ships being built under the ASW shallow water craft project.

It has been built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.

The warship is named after Anjadip Island, located off the coast of Karwar in north Karnataka in the Arabian Sea.

INS Anjadip is engineered to detect, track and neutralise enemy submarines operating in coastal and shallow waters. According to PTI, the vessel is designed to function as a “Dolphin Hunter”, a reference to its anti-submarine role.

The 77-metre-long ship is equipped with a high-speed water-jet propulsion system, enabling it to reach a top speed of 25 knots.

It carries an indigenous anti-submarine warfare weapons and sensor package, including the hull-mounted sonar ‘Abhay’. The ship is armed with lightweight torpedoes and anti-submarine warfare rockets.

The Navy described it as a state-of-the-art vessel built to address the challenges of littoral combat environments, coastal and shallow waters that are vital for maritime security.

Apart from anti-submarine warfare, INS Anjadip can undertake: Low-Intensity Maritime Operations and Search and Rescue operations

The induction of the vessel strengthens the Navy’s capacity to safeguard India’s maritime interests, including coastal areas such as Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Admiral Tripathi said the Navy plans to induct 15 more ships this year in addition to INS Anjadip.

He highlighted the ship’s agility and combat readiness. Referring to self-reliance, he said that from an Indian perspective, self-reliance or “Atma Nirbharta” goes beyond “Make in India” and represents trust in India.

He also underscored the Indian Navy’s role in ensuring the security of the country’s maritime trade.