‘Malwan’, the second in a series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) built by Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi, was handed over to the Indian Navy on March 31, 2026. Designed and constructed entirely in India, the vessel meets the Navy’s specifications and complies with DNV classification standards.
The ship takes its name from the historic coastal town of Malwan in Maharashtra, a region closely associated with the maritime legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It also carries forward the legacy of the earlier INS Malwan, a naval minesweeper that served until 2003, continuing the tradition of reusing distinguished warship names.
Built for coastal defence, the vessel is equipped for underwater surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, low-intensity maritime operations, and mine warfare. At around 80 metres in length and with a displacement of about 1,100 tonnes, it is powered by waterjets and armed with torpedoes, anti-submarine rockets, and advanced radar and sonar systems.
With more than 80% indigenous content, Malwan represents another step forward in India’s domestic warship-building capability. It reflects the government’s push for self-reliance, with key systems and equipment sourced from the country’s defence manufacturing ecosystem, including MSMEs.
