Indian Navy Receives ‘Agray’, Fourth Indigenous Anti-Submarine Shallow Water Craft Built by GRSE

The Indian Navy has taken delivery of ‘Agray’, the fourth of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW SWCs) being built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, in another milestone for India’s indigenous naval shipbuilding programme. The vessel was delivered on March 30, 2026, at Kolkata, according to the Ministry of Defence.

Designed and constructed by GRSE in accordance with the Classification Rules of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS), the ASW SWC class is intended to strengthen the Navy’s capability to operate in shallow coastal waters against underwater threats. The delivery of Agray adds further momentum to India’s efforts to expand domestically built frontline and support naval platforms under the broader push for defence self-reliance.

The new craft is approximately 77 metres long and is described as the largest Indian Naval warship propelled by waterjets. It is equipped with lightweight torpedoes, indigenous rocket launchers and shallow water sonar, giving it the ability to detect and engage submarines and other underwater threats in littoral environments. The induction of the vessel is also expected to contribute to the Navy’s mine-warfare capability and coastal surveillance role, making it a versatile addition to near-shore maritime operations.

Agray also carries historical significance. The ship takes forward the legacy of the earlier INS Agray, the fourth of the 1241 PE Class patrol vessels, which was decommissioned in 2017. By reviving the name, the Navy continues its practice of preserving distinguished names from earlier generations of service.

The Ministry of Defence said the vessel has over 80 per cent indigenous content, underlining the increasing maturity of India’s domestic defence manufacturing ecosystem. In that sense, Agray is more than just another platform delivery; it is a marker of how Indian shipyards are steadily taking on more complex naval construction with growing local content and systems integration capability.

With anti-submarine warfare becoming increasingly important in the Indian Ocean region, shallow water craft such as Agray are expected to play a useful role in securing coastal approaches, hunting submarines in constrained waters and supporting broader maritime security operations. Its delivery signals not only progress in a specific warship programme, but also the steady expansion of India’s indigenous naval order book.

Source: PIB