Kochi: India’s coastal waters are set to get another layer of protection against underwater threats, with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) handing over ‘Mangrol’, an indigenous shallow-water warship designed to detect and neutralise hostile submarines in the country’s littoral waters.
‘Mangrol’ is the third of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW SWCs) being indigenously designed and constructed by CSL for the Indian Navy. Built with approximately 80% indigenous content, the vessel marks another step in India’s push to strengthen domestic defence manufacturing under the ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ initiative.
The formal Delivery Protocol was signed at the CSL premises in Kochi on Friday by Dr Harikrishnan S, Director (Operations), CSL, and Commander U Sharan Kumar, Commanding Officer (Designate) of ‘Mangrol’.
The vessel has been handed over to the Navy and will undergo the process leading to its commissioning into naval service.
Constructed in compliance with the classification rules of Det Norske Veritas (DNV), ‘Mangrol’ has been designed specifically for operations in shallow coastal waters and littoral zones, where its compact configuration and high manoeuvrability can support underwater surveillance and anti-submarine operations.
DNV is an international classification society and risk management company headquartered in Hovik, Norway. Its classification rules are technical standards and safety requirements used to design, build, and survey ships, offshore units, and marine equipment to ensure safety at sea.
The vessel is powered by a diesel engine coupled with a waterjet propulsion system, giving it high manoeuvrability in restricted-depth waters.
Its combat suite includes advanced shallow-water sonars, lightweight torpedoes, indigenous anti-submarine warfare rockets and specialised mine-laying equipment. Together, these systems enable the craft to detect, track and neutralise hostile sub-surface threats in coastal waters.
Although its primary role is anti-submarine warfare, ‘Mangrol’ is designed for a range of other missions. These include underwater surveillance, search and rescue (SAR) operations and Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO).
The vessel has been named after Mangrol, a historically and strategically significant maritime township in Gujarat’s Surat district.
The handover ceremony was attended by key defence and shipyard officials, including Jose VJ, Chairman and Managing Director of CSL; Commodore Anup Menon, Warship Production Superintendent (Kochi); Commodore Piyush Badoni, Command Refit Officer (Western Naval Command); Dr C Pandi Selva Durai, IOFS, Chief Vigilance Officer; and Shiraz V P, Executive Director (Ship Building), CSL, along with senior officials from the Indian Navy and CSL.
