Indian Navy Adds Indigenously-Built Anti-Submarine Warfare Ship ‘Androth’ To Its Fleet

The warship is named after the historic Androth island, the largest island of the Lakshadweep archipelago. (Image: X/@indiannavy)

The Indian Navy has added a new indigenously-built anti-submarine warfare ship to its fleet, which is expected to strengthen its presence in the Indian Ocean amid China’s increasing activity in the region.

The ship, named ‘Androth’, is the second in a series of eight anti-submarine warfare-shallow water craft (ASW-SWC). It has been built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata.

The ship was officially handed over to the Navy on Saturday, marking a significant step towards strengthening domestic defence manufacturing. The ASW-SWC ships are being inducted into the Navy to strengthen its anti-submarine and coastal surveillance capabilities.

The ship draws its name from Androth Island in Lakshadweep, underscoring India’s broader commitment to protecting its vast maritime borders.

These ships at approximately 77-metre length are the largest Indian Naval warships propelled by a diesel engine-waterjet combination and are equipped with state-of-the-art lightweight torpedoes and indigenous anti-submarine warfare rockets, officials said.

“Androth’s delivery is yet another milestone in the Indian Navy’s quest for indigenous shipbuilding upholding the government’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ with over 80 per cent indigenous content and stands as a testament to growing domestic capabilities and reducing dependency on imports,” the Navy said in the readout, news agency PTI reported.