Harleen singh at 16:59, 5 May 2026

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{{Short description|Amphibious transport dock of the Indian Navy}}
{{pp-extended|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2019}}{{italic title|string=Jalashwa}}
{{Infobox ship
|section1={{Infobox ship/image
| image = INS Jalashwa departs Maldives.jpg
| image_caption = Operation Samudra Setu -INS ''Jalashwa'' Departs [[Malé]]
}}

|section2={{Infobox ship/career
| hide_header =
| country = [[India]]
| flag = {{shipboxflag|India|naval}}
| name = INS ''Jalashwa''
| namesake = Sanskrit for [[Hippopotamus]]
| owner =
| operator =
| registry =
| route =
| ordered =
| awarded =
| builder =
| original_cost =
| yard_number =
| way_number =
| laid_down = 8 August 1966 (as [[USS Trenton (LPD-14)|USS ''Trenton'']])
| launched = 3 August 1968 (as [[USS Trenton (LPD-14)|USS ''Trenton'']])
| sponsor =
| christened =
| completed =
| acquired = 17 January 2007
| commissioned = 22 June 2007
| recommissioned =
| decommissioned =
| maiden_voyage =
| in_service =
| out_of_service =
| renamed =
| reclassified =
| refit =
| struck =
| reinstated =
| homeport =
| identification = *[[Pennant number]]: L41
*{{MMSI Number|419100074}}
*[[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: AUQL
| motto = "The fearless pioneers"
| nickname =
| honours =
| honors =
| captured =
| fate =
| status = Active
| notes =
| badge =
}}

|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics
| hide_header =
| header_caption =
| class = {{sclass|Austin|amphibious transport dock}}
| type =
| tonnage =
| displacement = *''Light:'' 8,900 tonnes
*''Standard:'' 12,000 tonnes
*''Full load:'' 16,600 tonnes
| length = 173.7 metres (570 feet) overall, 167 metres (548 feet) waterline
| beam = 30.4 metres (100 feet) extreme, 25.6 metres (84 feet) waterline
| height =
| draught = 6.7 metres (22 feet) maximum, 7 metres (23 feet) limit
| draft =
| depth =
| hold_depth =
| decks =
| deck_clearance =
| ramps =
| ice_class =
| power =
| propulsion = Two boilers, two steam turbines, two shafts; {{convert|24000|shp|kW}}
| sail_plan =
| speed = {{convert|20|kn|km/h|-1}}
| range =
| endurance =
| test_depth =
| boats = *1 × [[Landing Craft Air Cushion|LCAC]], or
*1 × [[Landing Craft Utility|LCU]], or
*4 × [[LCM-8]], or
*9 × [[LCM-6]], or
*24 × [[Amphibious Assault Vehicle|AAV]]
| capacity =
| troops =
| complement = *27 officers, 380 sailors
*Landing force: up to 1,000 troops
| crew =
| time_to_activate =
| EW = *[[Kavach (anti-missile system)|Kavach]] decoy launcher<ref name="l41_local"/>
| sensors = *[[Bharat Electronics Limited|BEL]] [[Central acquisition radar (3D-CAR)|Revathi]] 3-D E/F-band radar<ref name="l41_local"/>
| armament = *4 × 3 in / 50 [[Caliber (artillery)|calibre]] AA gun mounts
*[[AK-630M]] [[close-in weapon system]]<ref name="l41_local"/>
| armour =
| armor =
| aircraft = 6 × [[UH-3 Sea King]] helicopters
| aircraft_facilities =
| notes =
}}
}}

'''INS ''Jalashwa''''' ({{Lit|Horse of the Sea}}) is an [[amphibious transport dock]] currently in service with the [[Indian Navy]]. Formerly {{USS|Trenton|LPD-14|6}}, she, along with six [[Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King]] helicopters were procured from the [[United States]] by [[India]] for a total of US$90 million in 2005. She was commissioned on 22 June 2007. INS ''Jalashwa'' is the only Indian naval ship to be acquired from the United States. She is based in [[Visakhapatnam]] under the [[Eastern Naval Command]].<ref name=ti8a12/>

==Description==
''Jalashwa'' features a well deck, which can house up to four LCM-8 mechanised landing craft that can be launched by flooding the well deck and lowering the hinged gate aft of the ship. She also has a flight deck for helicopter operations from which up to six medium helicopters can operate simultaneously. The deck can also be used to operate vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft like the [[British Aerospace Sea Harrier|Sea Harrier]], in special circumstances. She is also capable of embarking over 1,000 troops, and is fully equipped with extensive medical facilities including four operation theatres, a 12-bed ward, a laboratory and a dental centre.<ref>{{cite news|agency=PTI | url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/India_US_likely_to_ink_military_logistics_support_agreement/articleshow/2203609.cms |title=India, US likely to ink military logistics support agreement |work=The Times of India |date=2007-07-14 |access-date=2011-02-26}}</ref>

==Acquisition history==
[[File:US Navy 070117-N-1924T-115 Indian sailors raise their national flag aboard the amphibious transport dock USS Trenton (LPD 14), which was decommissioned after 35 years of naval service.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Indian Navy jack is raised on INS ''Jalashwa'' during her commissioning.]]
The Indian Navy felt the need for better amphibious landing capability in the aftermath of the [[2004 Indian Ocean tsunami]], when the Navy's rescue and humanitarian efforts were hampered by inadequacy of existing amphibious ships in its fleet.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ksmu0qKVqeo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/Ksmu0qKVqeo |archive-date=2021-12-14 |url-status=live|title=Indian Navy acquires new potent weapons |publisher=YouTube |date=2007-12-10 |access-date=2011-02-01}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 2006, the Indian government announced it would purchase the US Navy's retired {{sclass|Austin|amphibious transport dock|0}} [[landing platform dock]] {{USS|Trenton|LPD-14|6}} for approximately {{Indian Rupee}}228 crore ($48.44 million).<ref>{{cite news
|url = http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1049265
|date = 2006-08-25
|title = India to buy $50 million ship from US
|access-date = 2007-01-05
|publisher = DNA India}}</ref> Her sister ship {{USS|Nashville|LPD-13|6}} was also offered, but India declined the offer.

The Indian Navy took possession of the ship on 17 January 2007 in [[Norfolk, Virginia]] after the transfer agreement was signed by Commodore P Murugesan, Naval Attaché at the Embassy of India to the US, and Rear Admiral Garry E Hall of US Navy. She then underwent a refit at the Norfolk Naval Base until May 2007.<ref>{{cite news
|url = http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-01-18/us/27868332_1_indian-navy-ship-uss-trenton
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121014004445/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-01-18/us/27868332_1_indian-navy-ship-uss-trenton
|url-status = dead
|archive-date = 2012-10-14
|date = 2007-01-18
|title = Indian Navy takes charge of US ship Trenton
|access-date = 2007-01-18
|first1=Chidanand
|work = [[The Times of India]]
|last1=Rajghatta}}</ref> The Indian Navy also purchased six [[UH-3 Sea King]] maritime utility transport helicopters for $39 million<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.topnews.in/accidental-fire-killed-five-injured-several-ins-jalashwa-218004 |title=Accidental Fire Killed Five, Injured Several On INS Jalashwa |publisher=Topnews.in |access-date=2011-02-26}}</ref> for operation from the ship.<ref>{{cite news
|url = http://www.shephard.co.uk/Rotorhub/IndustryNews.aspx?Action=745115149&ID=8e93afed-527d-474c-9312-cda24fba63ed
|title = Indian navy buys six former US Navy Sea King helicopters
|access-date = 2007-01-05
|publisher = Rotorhub
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071124095106/http://www.shephard.co.uk/Rotorhub/IndustryNews.aspx?Action=745115149&ID=8e93afed-527d-474c-9312-cda24fba63ed
|archive-date = 24 November 2007}}</ref> Indian Naval [[British Aerospace Sea Harrier|Sea Harriers]] could also be operated from the deck of the ship until their retirement in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=31220 |title=INS Jalashwa Joins the Eastern Fleet |publisher=Pib.nic.in |access-date=2011-02-26}}</ref> The Westland sea kings and the UH-3 Sea Kings were operated from the ship by [[INAS 350]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=INAS 350 – Indian Navy |url=https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/navy/units/others/inas-350/ |access-date=2026-04-25 |language=en-US}}</ref>

The ship was commissioned as INS ''Jalashwa'' on 22 June 2007, at [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]] by Shri Ronan Sen, then the Indian ambassador to the United States. Captain BS Ahluwalia and Commander Dinesh Singh were her first Commanding Officer and Executive Officer, respectively.

===Controversy===
The purchase terms of the ship resulted in controversy, with the [[Comptroller and Auditor General of India]] censuring the Indian Navy for a hasty purchase without exercising sufficient due diligence and for accepting restrictions on use and access.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080512022941/http://atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JC27Df01.html Asia Times]
India all at sea over US defense ties</ref> According to the report, the United States obtained an assurance that the naval ship could not be used for any offensive purposes, and had the right to regularly inspect it, under an end-user monitoring agreement that India and the US signed in 2009.<ref name=ti8a12>{{cite news|title=US-checked warship undergoes refit|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120808/jsp/nation/story_15827892.jsp#.UqeMtfQW0vk|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131210221907/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120808/jsp/nation/story_15827892.jsp%23.UqeMtfQW0vk|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 December 2013|access-date=10 December 2013|newspaper=Telegraph India|date=8 August 2012}}</ref> In addition, no physical assessment was done by India prior to purchase and the US Navy reportedly did not reveal the need for upgrades and modifications.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=79275 |title=After Gorshkov now its Trenton – Key Publishing Ltd Aviation Forums |publisher=Forum.keypublishing.co.uk |access-date=2011-02-01 |archive-date=25 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025104519/http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=79275 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Aged U.S. warship comes with strings|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/aged-us-warship-comes-with-strings/article1220481.ece|access-date=10 December 2013|newspaper=The Hindu|date=15 March 2008}}</ref>

A response to this criticism was that the ship was acquired primarily to aid the Navy in gaining vital operational information for expanding its amphibious warfare capabilities. The [[Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy|Chief of Navy Staff]] Admiral [[Nirmal Kumar Verma]] clarified that inspections by the United States are not intrusive, i.e. no boarding of the ship by US personnel is allowed. A team from the [[US Department of Defense]] examined night vision devices, which were taken out of ''Jalashwa'' for the inspection.<ref name=ti8a12/><ref>{{cite news|title=Navy allows end-user inspection of warship by US|url=http://www.omantribune.com/index.php?page=news&id=125217&heading=India|access-date=10 December 2013|newspaper=Oman Tribune|archive-date=13 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213131437/http://www.omantribune.com/index.php?page=news&id=125217&heading=India|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Service history==
On 1 February 2008, five Indian Navy personnel were killed, and three others critically injured by inhaling poisonous [[hydrogen sulphide]] (H<sub>2</sub>S) gas aboard ''Jalashwa''. The mishap occurred during an exercise in the [[Bay of Bengal]], between Visakhapatnam and the Andaman Islands.<ref>Hindustan Times, 1 February 2008, ''[http://www.hindustantimes.com/storypage/storypage.aspx?id=9fe0bba0-6efe-4fd0-9510-178d639cd1f4&MatchID1=4662&TeamID1=5&TeamID2=2&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1173&PrimaryID=4662&Headline=5+killed+in+accident+on+INS+Jalashwa Five die in accident on troop carrier INS Jalashwa]{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}''. IANS report.</ref><ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080208131200/http://www.kalingatimes.com/national_news/news1/20080202-INS-Jalashwa.htm Poison gas caused five to die on troop carrier INS ''Jalashwa''.]}}</ref><ref>[http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sailors-died-due-to-gas-leak-says-navy/268354/0 Sailors died due to gas leak, says Navy] Article in the [[Indian Express]]</ref> ''Jalashwa'' immediately headed to [[Port Blair]], with the critically injured seamen and two officers being airlifted from the ship.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20080210/886211.html |title=Death toll in Jalashwa gas leakage rises to six as sailor succumbs |publisher=News.webindia123.com |date=2008-02-10 |access-date=2011-02-01 |archive-date=7 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307132150/http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20080210/886211.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Lieutenant Commander Shwet Gupta and Lieutenant Ruchir Prasad were critically injured while trying to rescue their sailors. Gupta subsequently died of his injuries.

On 26 February 2011, INS ''Jalashwa'' and {{ship|INS|Mysore|D60|6}} were deployed to the [[Mediterranean Sea]] under [[Operation Safe Homecoming]] to evacuate Indian citizens from [[Libya]] in the aftermath of the turmoil from the [[2011 Libyan civil war]]. They carried their full air wings, and a contingent of [[MARCOS]].<ref name=toi-libya>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Naval-ships-to-bail-out-Indians-stranded-in-Libya/articleshow/7583375.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308235315/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-02-27/mumbai/28637902_1_indian-navy-naval-ships-ins-jalashwa |url-status=live |archive-date=2012-03-08 |title=Naval ships to bail out Indians stranded in Libya |date=2011-02-27 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=2011-03-08}}</ref>

On 5 June 2023, a [[Varunastra (torpedo)|Varunastra]] [[Torpedo|Heavyweight Torpedo]] was test-fired by a [[Kamorta-class corvette|''Kamorta''-class corvette]] at an Under Water Target System (UWTS) laid by [[INS Jalashwa|INS ''Jalashwa'']]. This was the first trial where the torpedo was equipped with High Explosive (HE) live warhead.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-06 |title=Indian Navy undertakes first combat firing of Varunastra torpedo |url=https://www.janes.com/osint-insights/defence-news/defence/indian-navy-undertakes-first-combat-firing-of-varunastra-torpedo |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=Default |language=en}}</ref>

INS Jalashwa was a part of Exercise Tiger Triumph 24 conducted in March 2024. It was a "bilateral tri-service Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise" conducted including [[Indian Armed Forces]], [[United States Army|US Army]] and [[United States Marine Corps|US Marine Corps]] in [[Bay of Bengal]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Ritu |date=2024-03-19 |title=US, India Drill Near Sunken 'American Submarine'; Tiger-Triumph To Boost Ties Between 2 Largest Democracies |url=https://www.eurasiantimes.com/us-india-starts-tri-service-wargames-where-india/ |access-date=2024-03-20 |website=Latest Asian, Middle-East, EurAsian, Indian News |language=en-US}}</ref>

INS ''Jalashwa'' has undergone two refits. A short one, limited by financial constraints, helped the ship attain higher speeds. The second refit in 2012 was longer, and her radars and sensors were replaced with indigenous equipment. This reduced the navy's dependence on US-origin components, as it was uncomfortable with the US inspection regime.<ref name=ti8a12/><ref name="l41_local">{{cite web|url=https://www.janes.com/article/93449/indian-navy-equips-landing-platform-dock-with-indigenous-combat-systems|title=Indian Navy equips landing platform dock with indigenous combat systems|year=2020|publisher=Janes IHS|access-date=2 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406144536/https://www.janes.com/article/93449/indian-navy-equips-landing-platform-dock-with-indigenous-combat-systems|archive-date=6 April 2020}}</ref>

==Gallery==

{{Gallery
|width=160 | height=170
|File:INS Jalashwa at sea en-route to Maldives.jpg
|INS ''Jalashwa'' at sea en-route to [[Maldives]].
|File:INS Jalashwa with western fleet en-route to Maldives.jpg
|INS ''Jalashwa'' with [[Western Fleet (India)|Western fleet]] en-route to [[Maldives]].
|File:INS Jalashwa saluting Corona Warriors.jpg
|INS ''Jalashwa'' saluting [[Accredited Social Health Activist|Corona Warriors]]
|File:INS Jalashwa with INS Kolkata and Sukanya-class OPV en-route to Maldives.jpg
|INS ''Jalashwa'' with [[INS Kolkata]] and [[Sukanya-class patrol vessel|Sukanya-class OPV]] en-route to [[Maldives]].
}}

==See also==
*[[Indian Navy Multi-Role Support Vessel programme]]
*[[List of active Indian Navy ships]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|INS Jalashwa (L41)}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121014004440/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-01-19/us/27870677_1_indian-navy-uss-trenton-ship USS ''Trenton'' becomes INS ''Jalashva'']
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928091651/http://www.ricsiec.org/pictures/main.php?g2_itemId=207 INS ''Jalashva'' commissioning ceremony ]
* [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NAVY/Ships/Active/167-INS-Jalashwa.html INS ''Jalashwa'' – Bharat Rakshak] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171207192150/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NAVY/Ships/Active/167-ins-jalashwa.html |date=7 December 2017 }}

{{Austin class landing platform dock}}
{{Ship classes of the Indian Navy}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jalashwa (L41)}}
[[Category:Austin-class amphibious transport docks of the Indian Navy]]
[[Category:1968 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built by Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company]]

INS Jalashwa - Revision history

Harleen singh at 16:59, 5 May 2026