‘Amini’, an Arnala class of ship for Indian Navy, was launched on Thursday( 16 November ) at L&T Shipbuilding’s facility in Kattupalli, Tamil Nadu.

The 4th of 08 x ASW Shallow Water Craft (SWC) project being built by the state-owned Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE), Amini is designed to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters and also low intensity maritime operations (LIMO) and mine laying operations, said a Navy spokesperson.

• The launch ceremony was presided over by Vice Admiral Sandeep Naithani, Chief of Materiel, and his wife Manju Naithani launched the ship to the invocation from Atharva Veda.
• The ship has been named Amini to signify the strategic maritime importance accorded to the island of Amini at Lakshadweep, located about 400 km west of Kochi, said the spokesperson.
• The contract for building eight ASW SWC ships was signed between Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Kolkata -based GRSE on April 29, 2019.
• As per the build strategy, four ships are being built at the GRSE and the balance sub-contracted to L&T Shipbuilding for hull and part outfitting. Arnala class of ships will replace the in-service Abhay class ASW Corvettes of Indian Navy.