Indian Navy to Commission Indigenous Anti-Submarine Warfare Craft Mangrol on October 12

The Indian Navy is set to commission 'Mangrol', its third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on Monday, October 12, 2026. Built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), the vessel will be commissioned by Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command. The ceremony is expected to draw senior naval and defence officials, representatives from the Ministry of Defence and CSL, veterans, and manufacturers of indigenous weapons and sensors.

Mangrol boasts over 80% indigenous content, a testament to the country’s burgeoning capabilities in warship construction and the successful integration of domestically produced weapons and sensors. Its construction by CSL aligns with the government’s 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives, underscoring a commitment to self-reliance in defence manufacturing. The craft is named after Mangrol, a coastal town in Gujarat’s Junagadh district known as a prominent fishing harbour, and carries forward the legacy of the erstwhile INS Mangrol (M85), a minesweeper that served the Navy until April 7, 2004.

Designed specifically to detect and counter submarine threats in shallow and coastal waters, Mangrol is equipped with advanced systems including an Abhay hull-mounted sonar, lightweight torpedoes, an indigenous anti-submarine rocket launcher, and the Mareech Advanced Torpedo Decoy System. Powering its high manoeuvrability in shallow waters are three diesel engines coupled with waterjet propulsion. Beyond its primary anti-submarine warfare role, the vessel is capable of undertaking underwater surveillance, low-intensity maritime operations, and various mine warfare-related tasks, providing a versatile asset to the fleet.

The induction of Mangrol significantly enhances the Navy’s ability to protect vital ports, harbours, and coastal approaches, areas where the operational scope of larger warships can be constrained by shallow-water conditions. The vessel is designed to operate effectively alongside maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters, and other warships, facilitating coordinated efforts to detect and neutralise submarine threats. As underwater threats continue to gain prominence in the evolving maritime security landscape, the commissioning of Mangrol represents a crucial advancement in strengthening the Navy’s coastal defence capabilities and highlights the indispensable role of indigenous shipyards and domestic defence manufacturers in meeting the nation’s operational requirements.

What to watch: Further advancements in indigenous defence manufacturing and naval capabilities.

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