Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan presided over the commissioning of the 900‑tonne INS Mangrol at Mumbai's Naval Dockyard on Oct 12, 2026. The ship, built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, is the third of eight shallow‑water anti‑submarine warships the Navy is adding to its fleet. It will sit alongside patrol aircraft and helicopters to sniff out submarines in coastal waters.
With more than 80 % indigenous content, Mangrol carries an Abhay hull‑mounted sonar, lightweight torpedoes and an anti‑submarine rocket launcher, plus the Maareech decoy system. Its water‑jet propulsion gives it nimbleness in shallow waters, while its sensors let it spot and engage underwater targets before they can threaten ports and harbours. The crew will train to fit the ship into existing coastal patrol operations.
The name echoes the former minesweeper INS Mangrol that served until 2004, and the town of Mangrol in Gujarat’s Junagadh district, where fishermen now cheer at the sight of the new warship. The launch is part of a larger push to make India a self‑reliant shipbuilder, with the eight warships slated for completion by 2028.
After sea trials, Mangrol will join patrol aircraft and helicopters for joint exercises. The Navy plans to deploy the entire fleet of eight ASW‑SWCs in coastal zones by mid‑2028, tightening the defence of ports amid rising underwater threats.