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The Indian Navy commissioned INS Mangrol, the third vessel in the Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) series, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on Monday, 12 October 2026, The Indian Express and The Hindu reported.
Quick Facts
| Vessel | INS Mangrol, third of the Mahe-class ASW shallow water craft |
| Builder | Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi |
| Indigenous content | More than 80 per cent |
| Commissioned by | Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Western Naval Command chief |
| Propulsion | Three diesel engines with waterjets |
| Replaces | Ageing Abhay-class corvettes (in service 1989-91) |
What It Can Do
The ship is designed for shallow and confined waters, where larger warships have limits, and will help protect ports, harbours and coastal approaches against submarines. Its equipment includes the Abhay hull-mounted sonar, lightweight torpedoes, an indigenous anti-submarine rocket launcher and the Mareech Advanced Torpedo Decoy System.
Beyond anti-submarine warfare, it can carry out underwater surveillance, low-intensity maritime operations and mine warfare tasks, and can work with maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters and other ships.
The Navy’s Numbers
At the ceremony, Vice Admiral Vatsayan said the Navy had commissioned 10 ships in 2026, with another eight expected by the end of the year. He gave these figures:
- Fleet today: **151 platforms**, including 131 ships and 20 submarines
- Under construction: **42 ships** at Indian shipyards
- Approved (Acceptance of Necessity): 69 ships, six submarines and 120 Fast Interceptor Craft
- Projection: more than 170 platforms in the next few years, with a new ship commissioned every 40 to 50 days
- By 2034, about 60 per cent of platforms will be under 10 years old on average
Why It Matters
The Mahe-class vessels replace the Abhay-class corvettes and strengthen coastal anti-submarine defences. The Navy presents the ship as part of its Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat push in warship building.
Featured image: INS Arnala, an Indian Navy anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft, at sea (file photo; not INS Mangrol). Photo by Defence PRO Visakhapatnam – Indian Navy, licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.