The Indian Navy will commission the second of the 16 state-of-the-art Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), Androth, at Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam, on October 6.
Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, will preside over the ceremony.
Fitted with advanced weapon and sensor suites, modern communication systems, and waterjet propulsion, Androth is capable of detecting, tracking, and neutralising underwater threats with precision.
It can also undertake maritime surveillance, search and rescue operations, and coastal defence missions across the spectrum of threats.
At an approximate length of 77 metres, the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft are the largest Indian naval warships propelled by a diesel engine-waterjet combination and are equipped with state-of-the-art lightweight torpedoes, indigenous ASW rockets, and advanced shallow water SONAR, enabling effective submarine detection and engagement in littoral zones.
The name of the ship is derived from Androth Island in the Lakshadweep archipelago.
Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd., Kolkata, the ASW-SWC has over 80 per cent indigenous components.
Androth is a testament to the government of India's vision of Aatmanirbharta and a shining symbol of India’s growing maritime self-reliance, the defence ministry said in a release.
"In its previous avatar, INS Androth (P69) served the nation with distinction for over 27 years before being decommissioned. The commissioning of the new Androth honours the legacy and spirit of her predecessor," a statement from the ministry read.
