New Delhi: The Indian Navy launched Machilipatnam (BY 529), the seventh of eight anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASW-SWC) being built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). The launch marks another milestone in the Navy’s efforts to strengthen coastal defence and anti-submarine-warfare capabilities with indigenously built platforms.
The vessel was launched by Goolrukh Anand in the presence of Vice Admiral Atul Anand, additional secretary in the Department of Military Affairs. Senior officials from the Navy, Cochin Shipyard Limited and other distinguished guests attended the ceremony.
Since it is made for operating in the coastal waters, the ship has the capacity to perform underwater reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare, mine warfare and low-intensity maritime operations. It will help in enhancing coastal security as well as providing better maritime domain awareness to the Navy in strategic sea lines.
The ship has been named after Machilipatnam, an ancient port city in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh that has been associated with maritime trade of India for many years. The naming follows the trend of naming ships by the Navy based on their association with seafaring.
The ASW-SWC programme has been undertaken using over 80 per cent indigenous content in order to emphasize the contribution of Indian shipyards and manufacturers in the field of defence production. After delivery of all the eight ships, this project will help in enhancing the operational preparedness of Navy in the Indian Ocean region and also help in achieving the goal of self-reliance in the defence industry.