The Indian Navy is set to commission INS Mangrol, the third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) built by Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on 12 October. The commissioning ceremony will be presided over by Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command.

INS Mangrol forms part of the Navy’s wider indigenous ASW-SWC program, under which 16 specialised vessels are being constructed.

The project has been divided equally between Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers and Cochin Shipyard Limited, with each shipyard responsible for building eight vessels.

Six ASW-SWCs have already entered service with the Indian Navy, making INS Mangrol the seventh platform from this important coastal warfare fleet.

The vessel is named after Mangrol, the coastal town and major fishing harbour in Gujarat’s Junagadh district.

It also preserves the legacy of the earlier INS Mangrol (M85), a minesweeper that served the Indian Navy until April 2004.

The naming reflects the Navy’s longstanding tradition of carrying forward the heritage of distinguished warships.

Built with more than 80% indigenous content, INS Mangrol highlights India’s steadily expanding capabilities in naval design, shipbuilding and the integration of advanced combat systems.

The vessel has been constructed under the broader Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives, further strengthening domestic defence manufacturing.

Designed specifically for anti-submarine operations in coastal and shallow waters, INS Mangrol addresses a critical operational requirement where larger warships often face manoeuvrability constraints.

The ship is equipped with the indigenous Abhay hull-mounted sonar for underwater detection and tracking.

Its weapon suite includes lightweight torpedoes and an indigenous anti-submarine rocket launcher.

For survivability, the vessel also carries the Mareech Advanced Torpedo Decoy System, designed to counter incoming torpedo threats.

Powered by three diesel engines driving waterjet propulsion systems, the craft offers exceptional manoeuvrability in confined and shallow-water environments.

Beyond anti-submarine warfare, INS Mangrol can undertake underwater surveillance missions, low-intensity maritime operations and mine warfare-related tasks.

The vessel can also operate alongside maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters and other naval platforms to improve underwater domain awareness and anti-submarine operations.

The induction of INS Mangrol is expected to enhance the Navy’s ability to protect ports, harbours and coastal approaches against underwater threats. Its arrival comes as the Indian Navy continues to strengthen specialised littoral warfare capabilities to counter increasingly complex submarine challenges in the Indian Ocean region.

The ASW-SWC fleet is also intended to replace ageing anti-submarine platforms while providing dedicated shallow-water warfare capabilities tailored to India’s extensive coastline.

Separately, the Indian Coast Guard has commissioned the indigenous Fast Patrol Vessel ICGS Ajit at Goa Shipyard Limited. The commissioning ceremony was presided over by Sirish Choudhary, IDAS, Principal Integrated Financial Adviser of the Coast Guard.

The vessel will be based at Okha and is equipped with advanced weaponry and modern control systems.

ICGS Ajit has been designed for maritime surveillance, search and rescue operations, anti-smuggling missions and pollution response duties.

Its induction provides an additional boost to India’s coastal security architecture while reinforcing the country’s indigenous shipbuilding capabilities.

Agencies