The Indian Navy has strengthened its coastal anti-submarine warfare capabilities with the delivery of Mangrol, an indigenously built Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) developed by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) in Kochi.
Mangrol was delivered to the Indian Navy on August 21, 2026, marking another significant milestone in India’s push towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing. It is the third vessel in a series of eight ASW Shallow Water Crafts being built by CSL for the Navy.
Designed to Detect Underwater Threats
Mangrol has been specially designed to conduct underwater surveillance and anti-submarine warfare operations in coastal and shallow waters.
The vessel is capable of detecting, tracking and countering underwater threats, giving the Indian Navy an enhanced ability to protect India’s strategically important coastal regions.
Apart from anti-submarine warfare, Mangrol can also undertake Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) and mine warfare missions.
Advanced Weapons and Surveillance Systems
The warship is propelled by waterjets, a system suited for manoeuvrability and operations in shallow coastal waters.
Mangrol is equipped with advanced naval systems, including torpedoes, anti-submarine rockets, modern radars and sonar systems. These capabilities allow the vessel to search for and respond to underwater threats while operating close to India’s coastline.
The addition of specialised shallow-water platforms is particularly significant as submarines and other underwater threats can pose major challenges in littoral areas, where larger naval vessels may have operational limitations.
More Than 80% Indigenous Content
One of the major highlights of Mangrol is its high level of indigenous manufacturing.
According to the Defence Ministry, the vessel contains more than 80% indigenous content, highlighting the expanding capabilities of India’s domestic shipbuilding and defence manufacturing ecosystem.
The delivery comes as India continues to focus on developing critical defence platforms domestically under the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
The ASW-SWC programme is also expected to help reduce dependence on foreign defence suppliers while strengthening expertise among Indian shipyards, manufacturers and defence technology companies.
Why Is the Warship Named Mangrol?
The vessel takes its name from Mangrol, a coastal town and minor port located in Gujarat’s Junagadh district. The area is known as an important harbour for the marine fishing industry.
The name also carries forward an important Indian Navy tradition.
The earlier INS Mangrol was an Indian Naval minesweeper that remained in service until 2004. The new Mangrol preserves the legacy of the previous naval vessel while representing a new generation of indigenous maritime technology.
Major Boost to India’s Maritime Security
With Mangrol joining the Navy’s growing fleet of specialised vessels, India is strengthening its ability to monitor and secure coastal waters against underwater threats.
The delivery represents not only an improvement in the Indian Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities but also another step forward for India’s indigenous warship-building programme.
As more vessels from the eight-ship ASW-SWC programme are completed, the Indian Navy is expected to gain a stronger network of specialised platforms capable of surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and other critical coastal security missions.
Source – DD India
Supreme News Network
