CURRENT AFFAIRS | 24 JULY 2026
The Indian Navy has commissioned INS Malvan, the second indigenously designed and built Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at Karwar. Built by Cochin Shipyard Limited with over 80% indigenous content, Malvan will hunt submarines in shallow coastal waters, plugging a key gap in India’s near-shore defence.
Constitutional & Legal Framework
- Indian Navy & Article 53: The supreme command of the Armed Forces vests in the President; the Navy operates under the Ministry of Defence.
- Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL): A public-sector shipbuilder constructing the Mahe-class ASW-SWCs — a symbol of Atmanirbhar Bharat in naval construction.
- ASW-SWC role: Anti-submarine warfare shallow-water craft detect and destroy submarines close to the coast, complementing larger warships.
The CLAT Angle
CLAT GK asks about naval ship classes, builders and the ‘INS’ prefix. Remember: Mahe-class ASW-SWCs are built by Cochin Shipyard, and India is inducting a fleet of them (8 Mahe-class, part of 16 ASW-SWCs). Warship names, indigenous content and the commissioning authority are common factual hooks. Malvan is the second of the Mahe class and the sixth ASW-SWC overall.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Ship | INS Malvan — 2nd Mahe-class ASW-SWC |
| Commissioned at | Karwar (Western Naval Command) |
| Builder | Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) |
| Indigenous content | Over 80% |
| Role | Anti-submarine warfare, underwater surveillance, mine-laying in shallow waters |
Memory Hook: “MALVAN”
Mahe-class, Anti-submarine, Littoral (shallow) waters, Very indigenous, At karNa… Karwar.
Test Yourself: 10-Question Quiz
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Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
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