Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) carried out the keel-laying ceremony for the sixth ship, BY 528 "Magdala," of the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) scheme on December 17, 2024. Rear Admiral Satish Shenai, Chief Staff Officer (Training), Southern Naval Command, and senior officials from the Indian Navy and CSL attended the ceremony.
The ASW SWC ships, part of the "Mahe" class, are created to support the Indian Navy's capability to detect and counter submarines. Provided with developed, homegrown underwater sensors, these ships will conduct operations in coastal waters and help with tasks like mine-laying and low-intensity maritime operations.
This project highlights India’s push for self-reliance through the "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" initiative. Most of the equipment used in the ships is made by Indian manufacturers, showing the country’s growing power in shipbuilding. The Ministry of Defence awarded the contract for building eight ASW SWC ships to CSL in April 2019.
The keel-laying of the sixth ship comes just months after the launch of the fourth and fifth ships in September 2024. The first ship is expected to be delivered in early 2025, boosting India's naval defense and supporting local industries. (PR)