Indian Navy receives anti-submarine corvette INS Mahe to strengthen coastal defense.

On October 23, 2025, Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) officially handed over the INS Mahe (P80) to the Indian Navy during a delivery ceremony held in Kochi. The ship is the first of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) corvettes built under a 2019 contract for coastal and littoral missions. With over 90 percent indigenous content and a diesel–waterjet propulsion system, the vessel is part of India’s ongoing naval modernization program, which includes 175 to 200 warships by 2035.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

The INS Mahe is part of the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) program, a new class of small corvettes specifically designed to operate in coastal and littoral zones, where larger warships like frigates and destroyers cannot maneuver effectively. (Picture source: CSL)

The acceptance protocol was signed by CSL Director of Operations Dr. S. Harikrishnan and Commander Amit Chandra Choubey, Commanding Officer Designate of the INS Mahe, in the presence of Rear Admiral R. Adhisrinivasan, Chief Staff Officer (Technical) of the Western Naval Command, Commodore Anup Menon, Warship Production Superintendent, and senior naval and CSL officials. The 78-meter-long INS Mahe is the largest Indian naval warship to use a diesel engine–waterjet propulsion system, combining maneuverability with shallow-water performance. The ship has been constructed under the classification rules of Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and features an indigenous content exceeding 90 percent, consistent with India’s current defense manufacturing goals. The INS Mahe is expected to be commissioned in November 2025 and will form part of India’s expanding shallow-water fleet for coastal defense and anti-submarine operations.

Designed and built at CSL’s Kochi facility, the INS Mahe has a displacement of approximately 1,100 tons, a beam of 11.26 meters, and a draft of 2.7 meters, allowing it to operate efficiently in confined maritime zones. Its propulsion system enables a maximum speed of 25 knots and a range of around 1,800 nautical miles at 14 knots, allowing endurance patrols of up to 200 nautical miles from the coastline. The ship’s complement comprises 57 personnel, including seven officers and fifty sailors. Construction was carried out under Det Norske Veritas naval standards with low magnetic steel and structural designs aimed at minimizing noise and radar cross-section. Waterjet propulsion reduces acoustic signatures, improving survivability in anti-submarine warfare. The hull structure integrates acoustic dampening materials and thermal signature management features for enhanced stealth. The ship supports high-speed sprints, rapid deceleration, and tight turning radii for anti-submarine maneuvers, contributing to overall agility in littoral zones where larger warships face depth and maneuvering constraints.

The INS Mahe has been developed to conduct full-scale underwater surveillance, subsurface target detection, and coordinated anti-submarine operations with maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters. Its primary combat role focuses on shallow-water anti-submarine warfare, while secondary functions include mine-laying, low-intensity maritime operations, and search and rescue missions. The ship’s anti-submarine armament comprises one RBU-6000 rocket launcher and two triple lightweight torpedo launchers, compatible with India’s Advanced Light Weight Torpedo (ALWT). Mine rails allow deployment of anti-submarine mines for area denial near critical maritime approaches. For close-range defense, the vessel is equipped with one 30 mm naval surface gun integrated with an electro-optical fire control system and two 12.7 mm stabilized remote-controlled gun mounts. Fire control, battle damage control, and automation systems manage all combat and damage mitigation operations. These systems integrate with navigation, communication, and radar arrays for situational awareness, ensuring rapid response and weapon assignment during simultaneous threats.

The ship’s sensor suite includes the DRDO-developed Abhay hull-mounted sonar and a low-frequency variable-depth sonar (LFVDS), enabling detection and tracking of submarines at different depths and in varying acoustic conditions. Additional subsystems include a fire control system, integrated management system, automatic power management system, and battle damage control system. These ensure continuous power distribution, operational redundancy, and damage containment during combat. The combat suite is believed to be based on the DRDO-developed IAC MOD ‘C’ configuration, supporting automated sensor fusion for quicker tactical decision-making. The integration of both hull-mounted and towed sonars allows wide coverage in shallow and deep littoral environments. The electronic support systems are designed for secure communications and target sharing across naval task groups, allowing the INS Mahe to operate as a coordinated unit within multi-ship anti-submarine formations. Structural arrangements permit deployment of two rigid-hull inflatable boats for boarding, rescue, and inspection missions.

Cochin Shipyard’s design collaboration for the Mahe-class included Smart Engineering & Design Solutions (SEDS) of India and Finland-based Surma Ltd, which contributed survivability modeling and signature management input. The vessels are being constructed under the classification rules of Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and are reported to include a high degree of modularity for faster maintenance and upgrades. More than 90 percent of onboard systems, machinery, and sensors were sourced from Indian manufacturers, reflecting the industrial maturity reached in the domestic naval sector. The INS Mahe’s propulsion, electronic, and combat systems were produced through established supply chains that include Bharat Electronics Limited, Mahindra Defence, and Larsen & Toubro, among others. CSL holds ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, and 27001 certifications, ensuring standardized quality control during design and construction. Each hull undergoes extensive trials for propulsion, acoustic verification, and structural integrity prior to delivery. The ship’s control architecture uses distributed automation systems to monitor propulsion, electrical, and auxiliary systems under varying operational conditions.

The Mahe-class is part of a broader procurement program comprising sixteen Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft, equally divided between Cochin Shipyard and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in partnership with Larsen & Toubro’s Kattupalli Shipyard. This project was approved in December 2013 to replace the aging Abhay-class corvettes commissioned between 1989 and 1991. Contracts were signed on April 29 and 30, 2019, valued at approximately ₹6,311 crore each for the GRSE and CSL batches, with delivery schedules extending over seven years. CSL began steel cutting for the first Mahe-class vessel in December 2020, followed by keel laying in August 2022 and launch in November 2023. Subsequent ships in the series include Malwan, Mangrol, Malpe, Mulki, Magdala, Machilipatnam, and P87, all at different stages of construction, with deliveries scheduled between 2025 and 2028. These ships share a common role and general configuration but differ slightly from the Arnala-class being constructed by GRSE, particularly in hull design and dimensions. All sixteen units are projected to achieve operational readiness by 2028, ensuring continuous patrol and defense capability across both coasts.

The INS Mahe’s commissioning will strengthen India’s coastal defense network and contribute to the Navy’s fleet modernization plans for 175 to 200 warships by 2035. The ship’s mission set includes coastal surveillance, patrol, and anti-submarine defense of approaches to key naval bases and commercial ports. The vessel will operate in conjunction with P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, Kamorta-class corvettes, and Next Generation Missile Vessels to form a multi-layered littoral defense system. The induction of Mahe-class vessels will bridge operational gaps between large surface combatants and smaller patrol craft, providing persistent underwater monitoring and mine-laying capabilities in strategic zones. Their role complements longer-range vessels operating in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, forming a core element of India’s fleet renewal.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.