India Inducts First Indigenous Hovercraft Into Coast Guard

26 Jun 2026 CW Team

An Air Cushion Vehicle travels on a cushion of air created by lift fans and can operate over shallow water, mudflats, beaches and marshy terrain where conventional hull vessels face limits. ACVs enable rapid transit over mixed surfaces and reduce dependence on favourable water depth for littoral operations. Their design allows for quick deployment in search and rescue and humanitarian assistance missions.

The Indian Coast Guard uses hovercraft for coastal surveillance, rapid response, logistics and search and rescue along the littoral belt. ACVs are particularly suited to areas with sandbanks, tidal variation and low-support surfaces that restrict conventional craft. The service expects these platforms to augment patrol reach and operational flexibility.

The six ACVs are being built under an indigenous shipbuilding programme linked to Aatmanirbhar Bharat and a contract was reported as signed between the Ministry of Defence and Chowgule & Company Private Limited on 24 October 2026. Chowgule's yard in Goa was cited as the manufacturing site for the series and further vessels are under construction. Local construction of specialised platforms is intended to strengthen domestic industrial capacity and sustainment.

India's coastline spans 7,516.6 kilometres including island territories, and the Indian Coast Guard operates within the Exclusive Economic Zone and along the coastal belt for law enforcement and safety duties. The addition of hovercraft complements other assets used for anti-smuggling and maritime security tasks. The induction was portrayed as a practical enhancement to coastal response and shallow water capability.

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The Indian Coast Guard inducted its first indigenous Air Cushion Vehicle (ACV), designated H-561, on 18 June 2026. The craft was built at Chowgule & Company Private Limited's shipyard in Goa and is the first of six indigenous ACVs ordered for the force. The induction was presented as a milestone in local shipbuilding and maritime capability enhancement. An Air Cushion Vehicle travels on a cushion of air created by lift fans and can operate over shallow water, mudflats, beaches and marshy terrain where conventional hull vessels face limits. ACVs enable rapid transit over mixed surfaces and reduce dependence on favourable water depth for littoral operations. Their design allows for quick deployment in search and rescue and humanitarian assistance missions. The Indian Coast Guard uses hovercraft for coastal surveillance, rapid response, logistics and search and rescue along the littoral belt. ACVs are particularly suited to areas with sandbanks, tidal variation and low-support surfaces that restrict conventional craft. The service expects these platforms to augment patrol reach and operational flexibility. The six ACVs are being built under an indigenous shipbuilding programme linked to Aatmanirbhar Bharat and a contract was reported as signed between the Ministry of Defence and Chowgule & Company Private Limited on 24 October 2026. Chowgule's yard in Goa was cited as the manufacturing site for the series and further vessels are under construction. Local construction of specialised platforms is intended to strengthen domestic industrial capacity and sustainment. India's coastline spans 7,516.6 kilometres including island territories, and the Indian Coast Guard operates within the Exclusive Economic Zone and along the coastal belt for law enforcement and safety duties. The addition of hovercraft complements other assets used for anti-smuggling and maritime security tasks. The induction was portrayed as a practical enhancement to coastal response and shallow water capability.

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