Cochin Shipyard Delivers INS Mangrol to Indian Navy

State-run Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) delivers INS Mangrol to the Indian Navy as the third of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW-SWC) being built by CSL. The delivery is linked to the ASW-SWC programme under which 16 vessels are approved for construction across two shipbuilders.

INS Mangrol and ASW-SWC Programme:

Dimension	Key Details
Nomenclature	INS Mangrol is named after the coastal port town of Mangrol in Junagadh district, Gujarat.
Legacy Reference	It carries forward the legacy of the erstwhile minesweeper INS Mangrol, which remains in service until 2004.
Primary Role	It is designed to detect, track, and engage enemy submarines operating in shallow, acoustically cluttered coastal waters, freeing frontline destroyers and frigates for blue-water operations.
Operational Range	It has an operational range of up to 200 nautical miles from the coast.
Displacement and Length	INS Mangrol displaces 900-1,100 tonnes and has a length of 78 metres.
Speed and Endurance	It has a maximum speed of 25 knots and a 2-week operational endurance.
Indigenisation	It features over 80% indigenous content, with key components supplied by Indian entities, including BEL, L&T Defence, Mahindra Defence Systems, NPOL, and MSMEs.
Propulsion and Draught	It is powered by diesel engines and waterjets with a shallow draught of 2.7 metres, allowing high manoeuvrability in confined waters while reducing underwater radiated noise.
Sensors	It is equipped with the DRDO-developed Abhay hull-mounted sonar and a towed low-frequency variable-depth sonar.
Weapons	It features weapons, including an RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launcher, triple torpedo tubes firing Advanced Lightweight Torpedoes, a 30 mm naval gun, and mine-laying rails.
ASW-SWC Programme Objective	The ASW-SWC programme provides for vessels designed to replace the four Soviet-origin Abhay-class corvettes.
Approved Vessels and Builder Split	A total of 16 ASW-SWC vessels is approved: 8 are constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited (Mahe-class) and 8 are constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (Arnala-class).
Strategic Context	The programme is described as strengthening India’s coastal defence capabilities amid increasing Chinese underwater activity in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and Pakistan’s induction of Chinese-origin AIP-fitted Hangor-class submarines.