Pune: Waghnakh, the famed weapon used by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, is now on the crest of INS Malvan, an anti-submarine warfare vessel commissioned by Air Chief Marshal AP Singh at the naval base in Karwar on Wednesday.The warship, the first to carry the waghnakh, is named after Maharashtra’s historic coastal town of Malvan in the Konkan where Shivaji Maharaj built Sindhudurg Fort in 1664 to establish a formidable naval bastion against European and regional maritime powers.The vessel pays tribute to the Maratha king’s vision of a strong indigenous navy and the emblem symbolises stealth, surprise and decisive action associated with his victory over Bijapur general Afzal Khan at Pratapgad Fort in 1659.“Its name carries deep historical and cultural significance. The ship reflects India’s rich naval heritage and looks confidently at the future. It carries forth the legacy of the earlier INS Malvan which served the nation with distinction as an inshore minesweeper from 1983 to 2003,” flag officer commanding-in-chief Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan of the Western Naval Command said.The warship’s motto, ‘Silent Claws’, reflects courage, agility and audacity. “The waghnakh, a concealed claw-like weapon, has a special place in Maratha history. By incorporating it as the crest, the Navy has drawn a direct link between Shivaji Maharaj’s emphasis on stealth, surprise and decisive action and the demands of modern anti-submarine warfare,” a senior Navy officer said.Sindhudurg was the nerve centre of the Maratha Navy and remains one of India’s most enduring symbols of indigenous maritime strategy. Navy Day was celebrated in the town in 2023.Military historian Uday Kulkarni said the symbolism of the crest carries a deeper strategic message. “The waghnakh represented intelligent warfare, surprise and the ability to defeat a stronger adversary through planning rather than brute force. These are the qualities expected in anti-submarine operations, where stealth determines success. So it is appropriate and draws historic significance for a modern force,” he added.Col VB Shinde (retd), founder commanding officer of 21 Para special forces, nicknamed waghnakh, said, “Both the ship and the Army unit carry the same approach and outlook towards warfare. The Navy’s inclusion of the weapon in its crest underlies the relevance of its warfare.”Historian Pandurang Balkawade said naming the ship after Malvan strengthens the connection with India’s maritime heritage. “Shivaji Maharaj recognised centuries ago that maritime security was essential for protecting trade and sovereignty. Sindhudurg and Malvan became the foundation of an indigenous naval doctrine. The commissioning of INS Malvan acknowledges that India’s modern naval thinking has deep historical roots.”For a warship designed to hunt silently under the waves, the motto ‘Silent Claws’ is a reminder that the principles of stealth, speed and surprise that shaped the Maratha Navy more than three centuries ago continue to find relevance in India’s evolving maritime strategy, Balkawade added.
