Chennai, Tamil Nadu: The Indian Navy has formally inducted INS Anjadip, an advanced indigenous anti‑submarine warfare (ASW) warship, into its operational fleet, marking a key boost to India’s coastal defence and maritime security architecture. The commissioning ceremony took place on 27 February 2026 at Chennai Port, and was presided over by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, in the presence of senior naval leaders, government officials and representatives from the shipbuilding community.
INS Anjadip, described by the Navy as a “Dolphin Hunter”, is the third vessel to be commissioned under the Anti‑Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW‑SWC) project, which envisages a series of specialised platforms to enhance India’s under‑sea threat response capabilities in littoral and shallow waters. Designed primarily to detect, track and neutralise hostile submarines close to the coastline, the vessel reflects a focused effort to strengthen anti‑submarine warfare readiness near India’s southern and eastern seaboards, including Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coastal areas.
The 77‑metre long vessel has been built with a high degree of indigenous content, in line with the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative in the defence sector. Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, served as the principal shipbuilder, integrating the advanced combat management systems and weapon suites. The ship’s propulsion is based on a high‑speed water‑jet system that enables it to achieve a top speed of around 25 knots, providing rapid response and sustained operation in coastal environments where anti‑submarine operations are most demanding.
INS Anjadip is equipped with an advanced suite of indigenous anti‑submarine warfare sensors and weapons, including the hull‑mounted Abhay sonar, lightweight torpedoes and ASW rockets. These systems give the vessel the capability to detect and engage sub‑surface threats effectively, particularly in shallow and littoral waters where submarines attempt to exploit coastal topography for tactical advantage. Beyond its primary ASW role, the warship also supports coastal surveillance, low‑intensity maritime operations and search‑and‑rescue missions, providing multi‑mission flexibility in meeting the Indian Navy’s broad coastal security requirements.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Admiral Tripathi highlighted the strategic significance of the new platform, noting that the addition of INS Anjadip further enhances the Navy’s under‑sea warfare capabilities and contributes to the resilience of India’s maritime defence posture. He underlined India’s ongoing efforts to indigenise warship construction and develop self‑reliant naval platforms capable of addressing evolving security challenges in the region.
The induction of INS Anjadip forms part of a larger expansion and modernisation drive within the Indian Navy, which has seen an unprecedented pace of force induction in recent years. Alongside the commissioning of multiple warships and submarines, the ASW‑SWC project continues to deliver specialised platforms that fill key capability gaps in shallow‑water anti‑submarine operations. As regional maritime security dynamics evolve, assets like INS Anjadip will play an increasingly important role in safeguarding India’s interests across its extensive coastline and exclusive economic zone
