New Delhi [India], The keel laying ceremony of the 8th Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (X-GRSE) was held at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders N Engineers Limited (GRSE) Shipyard in Kolkata on Friday. Ministry of Defence, “The ceremony was presided over by VADM B Shivakumar, Controller Warship Production and Acquisition in the presence of Commodore PR Hari, IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRS and other senior officers of the Indian Navy and M/S GRSE. “The contract for indigenous design and construction of 08 x ASW SWC ships was concluded between MOD and M/s GRSE, Kolkata on April 29, 2019. To date, the Project C ships have already been launched with the delivery of the first ship (Arnala) planned for August 24,” it added, adding that the Arnala class ships will replace the in-service Abhay class ASW corvettes. Designed to conduct anti-submarine operations, low intensity maritime operations (LIMO), and mine laying operations in coastal waters, Yard 3034, the last ship of the project, is another important target of the Indian Navy. The milestone is in line with indigenous shipbuilding and the country's 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' and 'Make in India' initiatives.