To counter the growing threats along India’s coastline, the Navy has inducted a new weapons craft equipped with cutting‑edge technology, designed specifically to track and neutralize enemy movements in shallow waters.
On Saturday the 22nd of August 2026, the Navy received ‘Mangrol’, the third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi.
The ship encapsulates the legacy of erstwhile INS Mangrol, an Indian Naval Minesweeper which remained in service till 2004, thereby continuing the naval tradition of preserving distinguished warship names.
Mangrol comprises of over 80 percent indigenous content and is equipped for underwater surveillance, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) operations in coastal waters, Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO), along with mine warfare capabilities.
The ship is propelled by waterjets and equipped with state-of-the-art Torpedoes, Anti-Submarine rockets, along with advanced radars and sonars.
Mangrol derives its name from the coastal town and minor port of ‘Mangrol’, located in Junagadh district of Gujarat, which is a prominent harbour for the marine fishing industry.
The delivery of Mangrol is yet another milestone in the Indian Navy’s indigenous shipbuilding journey and a reaffirmation of the Government’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
The ship stands as a testament to the growing strength of the indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem.
The Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) project is a major indigenous naval program to strengthen India’s coastal defence against submarine threats.
The Indian Navy is inducting 16 of these vessels, split between Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), with the latest delivery being INS Mangrol in August 2026.
- These ships replace the ageing Abhay-class corvettes and are tailored for operations in shallow littoral waters and enhances Enhances India’s ability to counter Chinese and Pakistani submarine deployments in the Indian Ocean.
Following is the fact-sheet of the ASW-SWC Project:
- Builders: Cochin Shipyard (CSL) and GRSE (with L&T Shipyard partnership).
- Fleet Size: 16 vessels planned (8 Arnala-class for Eastern Fleet, 8 Mahe-class for Western Fleet).
- Commissioning Timeline: First ship INS Mahe commissioned in Nov 2025; latest delivery INS Mangrol in Aug 2026.
- Displacement: ~900–1,100 tons.
- Length: ~77–78 meters.
- Propulsion: Diesel engine with waterjet propulsion (largest waterjet-powered vessels in Indian Navy).
- Speed & Range: 25 knots, ~1,800 nautical miles at 14 knots.
- Crew: 57 (7 officers + 50 sailors).
- Cost: Approx. ₹12,622 crore for 16 ships (~₹789 crore per ship).
