Earlier today, the Indian Navy formally inducted INS Mahe, a 78-metre anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft built entirely by Cochin Shipyard with over 80 per cent indigenous content. The vessel represents the vanguard of a fleet transformation designed to address a strategic vulnerability that has long haunted Indian defence planners: the inability to effectively patrol and control the littoral waters where most threats actually originate.

With a 7,516 km coastline and an exclusive economic zone spanning 2.3 million square kilometres, India’s maritime frontier stretches beyond what the Navy can credibly defend with existing platforms. The blue economy, including fisheries, shipping, and offshore energy, generates approximately 4 per cent of GDP and sustains 4 million livelihoods along its coast. Yet this economic lifeblood remains vulnerable to submarine threats, illegal fishing operations, and potential Chinese naval incursions. INS Mahe was designed precisely to redress that imbalance.

But why does a 78-metre vessel warrant such strategic significance? Because conventional warships cannot fight where most battles will occur. India’s sophisticated destroyers and frigates operate best in deep water; they cannot venture into the confined, shallow littoral zones where submarines lurk and where coastal security actually matters. This created a dangerous gap. Pakistani submarines have become increasingly capable, and China is reportedly preparing to deploy advanced platforms into the Indian Ocean.

INS........

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