- INS Mahe, the first Mahe-class ASW shallow water craft, was commissioned in Mumbai
- Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi attended the naval ship commissioning for the first time
- The event highlighted growing synergy and jointness among India's Army, Navy, and Air Force
The Indian Navy on Monday commissioned INS Mahe, the first of the Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. The ceremony, hosted by Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, was presided over by Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi.
This is the first time an army chief has been present during the commissioning of an Indian Naval Ship, and the event is an indicator of synergy between the three services of the military.
During the event, General Upendra Dwivedi said, "Today, I am reminded that the strength of armed forces lies in synergy. The sea, land, and the skies form a single continuum of national security. And together, the Army-Navy and Air Force form the trinity of India's strategic strength. In this age of multi-domain operations, our ability to act in concert from the depths of the ocean to the highest frontier will determine the security and influence of our republic. We are in operation in every domain from Ladakh to the Indian Ocean. From information warfare to joint logistics of Op Sindoor - it was an apt example towards that synergy."
He added, "The Indian Army too has launched a series of initiatives and an overall umbrella of a decade of transformation in which jointness and integration is an important pillar, recognising that modern conflicts will be multi-domain, hybrid and require united national strength."
Vice-Admiral Krishna Swaminathan said, "I convey my sincere gratitude to the Chief of Army Staff for taking time out to be with us here today. Your presence here today is a solid reflection of your thrust on jointness and synergy."
India's proposed "theatre command" is at a discussion and deliberation stage, and it refers to a proposed restructuring of the military to create integrated commands, where the Army, Navy, and Air Force operate under a single commander in a specific geographical area. The commissioning of Mahe marks the arrival of a new generation of indigenous shallow-water combatants - sleek, swift, and resolutely Indian.
With over 80 per cent indigenous content, the Mahe-class showcases India's growing mastery in warship design, construction and integration.
INS Mahe will serve as a 'Silent Hunter' on the Western Seaboard - powered by self-reliance and dedicated to safeguarding India's maritime frontiers.
Pakistan's ambitious Hangor-class submarine programme, a centrepiece of the China-Pakistan naval partnership, is on track for induction in 2026, according to Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Chief of Naval Staff of the Pakistan Navy. Given that Pakistan will enhance its submarine capabilities, with the induction of these submarines, the Indian Navy has to be prepared for countering them, and the Mahe class anti-submarine ships are expected to play a key role in this process.
