INS Mangrol, the third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi, is scheduled for commissioning into the Indian Navy on October 12, 2026, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. The locally built ship is engineered to identify and neutralize underwater dangers in littoral and shallow zones, thereby enhancing the maritime branch's anti-submarine operational readiness.
Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command, will lead the commissioning ceremony. The event is slated to draw high-ranking naval and defence officials, delegates from the Ministry of Defence and Cochin Shipyard Limited, military veterans, and representatives from domestic weapon and sensor developers.
The vessel incorporates over 80 percent domestic components, highlighting the nation's expanding expertise in naval architecture, ship construction, and the integration of sophisticated armaments and detection systems. Fabricated by Cochin Shipyard Limited in alignment with national self-reliance initiatives, the platform represents another milestone in domestic defence manufacturing.
INS Mangrol is tailored to locate and combat submarine menaces in coastal regions where larger surface combatants encounter navigational constraints. Its equipment suite features the Abhay Hull-Mounted Sonar, lightweight torpedoes, a domestic anti-submarine rocket launcher, and the Mareech Advanced Torpedo Decoy System.
Propulsion is provided by three diesel engines linked to waterjet propulsion units, granting the vessel exceptional agility in shallow environments. Alongside its core anti-submarine mission profile, the platform can execute underwater monitoring, low-intensity maritime missions, and mine warfare duties.
Integrating this warship will improve the Navy's capacity to safeguard ports, anchorages, and shorelines from submerged hazards. The craft can also coordinate with maritime surveillance aircraft, rotorcraft, and other surface vessels to track and engage underwater targets, bolstering broader fleet readiness amid shifting maritime security demands.
The vessel derives its designation from Mangrol, a seaside settlement and significant fishing hub located in the Junagadh district of Gujarat. Furthermore, the ship inherits the heritage of the former minesweeper of the same name that operated within the naval fleet until April 2004, maintaining the service's practice of honoring retired hulls.