Commissioning of INS Mangrol: Strengthening Coastal Anti-Submarine Warfare Capabilities

Key Highlights & Summary 

• INS Mangrol, the third vessel in the Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) series, was commissioned into the Indian Navy at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.  

• Built indigenously by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi, with over 80% indigenous content, the ship aligns with the government Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.

• Designed to replace the ageing Abhay-class corvettes, INS Mangrol is optimized to operate in shallow and confined coastal waters to protect critical ports, harbours, and maritime approaches.  

• The vessel is equipped with advanced combat equipment, including Abhay hull-mounted sonar, lightweight torpedoes, an indigenous anti-submarine rocket launcher, and the Mareech Advanced Torpedo Decoy System.  

• Powered by diesel engines with waterjet propulsion, the craft features high manoeuvrability, enabling low-intensity maritime operations, underwater surveillance, and mine warfare tasks.  

• The Indian Navy fleet currently comprises 151 platforms, with plans to expand beyond 170 platforms through active domestic shipbuilding programs. 

 Essential Definitions 

• Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC): Specialized naval vessels engineered to detect, track, and neutralize hostile underwater threats in shallow coastal waters and littoral zones. 

• Acceptance of Necessity (AoN): The initial formal approval granted by the Ministry of Defence to initiate the procurement process for military equipment and defense platforms.  

• Waterjet Propulsion: An advanced marine propulsion system that pumps water beneath a vessel to generate thrust, providing higher manoeuvrability and shallow-draft operation capabilities. 

• Indigenisation in Defence: The design, development, and manufacturing of defence equipment and hardware using indigenous technology and domestic manufacturing resources. 

 Legal and Constitutional Framework

• Article 246 (Union List - Entry 1 & 2): Grants the Parliament of India exclusive legislative powers over the Defence of India and the Naval, Military, and Air Forces.

• Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020: Governs the procurement and capital acquisition processes for the Armed Forces, prioritizing the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category to foster domestic manufacturing. 

• Maritime Zones Act, 1976: Provides the statutory basis for safeguarding India territorial waters, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and maritime rights against underwater and surface threats. 

Conclusion The induction of INS Mangrol marks a significant milestone in enhancing the Indian Navy antisubmarine capabilities in coastal waters. By leveraging high indigenous content and strategic domestic shipbuilding, the platform reinforces India\'s maritime security architecture while advancing self-reliance in national defence production.  

UPSC Relevance 

• GS Paper III (Internal Security & Science/Technology): Relevant for topics covering Indigenisation of Technology, Defence Modernization, Maritime Security, Coastal Defence Mechanisms, and Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Defence Manufacturing.