Navy gets its ‘silent hunter’, 80% home-grown INS Mahe

INS Mahe, India’s first Mahe-class anti-submarine warfare shallow watercraft, was commissioned at the Naval Dockyard by General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff, on Monday (November 24, 2025).

With over 80% indigenous components, the ship is another step in the Indian Navy’s efforts towards achieving self-reliance, the Navy said. The induction was done after long, rigorous trials for over two years, officials said. Due to its stealth, vigilance and unyielding readiness, INS Mahe’s motto is ‘Silent Hunters’.

This was the first time an Army chief presided over the commissioning of a naval warship. General Dwivedi said that the true strength of the Indian armed forces lies in synergy among the three services. “In the age of multi-domain operations, the country’s ability to act in concert from the depths of the ocean to the highest frontier will determine the security influence of the Indian Republic,” he said, adding that Operation Sindoor showcased the seamless harmony between the services.

The Army Chief noted that the force is undergoing a major transformation, with jointness and integration serving as key pillars for meeting the challenges of hybrid and multi-domain warfare.

“As said by Helen Keller, alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much. So, as a soldier, we are standing among seafarers… The sea, land, and the skies from a single continuum of national security. And together, the Army, Navy and Air Force form the trinity of India’s strategic strength,” General Dwivedi said.

INS Mahe, the lead ship of eight vessels in its class, has been designed and constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited. It will form the first line of coastal defence, integrating seamlessly with larger surface combatants, submarines, and aviation assets to maintain constant vigilance over India’s maritime areas of operation.

“Today’s ceremony not only marks the induction of a potent new platform to a maritime order of battle, but also reaffirms our nation’s increasing capability to design, construct, and field complex combatants with indigenous technology. This commissioning will significantly augment the Indian Navy’s capability to ensure near-sea dominance, strengthen the coastal security grid and safeguard our maritime interests across the vast expanse of our littorals. The commissioning of INS Mahe reaffirms the Navy’s steadfast transformation into Builders’ Navy, one that designs, constructs and sustains its own combat platforms,” General Dwivedi said.

Listing out the abilities of the warship, a government statement said, “The ship’s combat suite blends multiple systems into a compact yet potent network. She is specially designed to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal and shallow waters. Fitted with advanced weapons, sensors, and communication systems enabling it to detect, track, and neutralise sub-surface threats with precision, the ship can sustain prolonged operations in shallow waters and features technologically advanced machinery and control systems.”

The event was hosted by Vice-Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command. Several senior naval officers, representatives from Cochin Shipyard Ltd, Kochi, were among the dignitaries present at the Naval Dockyard.