Indian Coast Guard Lays Girders For Indigenous Air Cushion Vehicles

14 May 2026 CW Team

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Chowgule Shipyard marked progress in indigenous shipbuilding with a girder laying ceremony for the fourth, fifth and sixth Air Cushion Vehicle (ACV) at the Rassaim yard of Chowgule Shipyard in Goa on 11 May 2026. The ceremony forms part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and the vehicles are being manufactured with 50 per cent indigenous material in India, reflecting a step forward in self-reliance and technological advancement in maritime assets.

The contract for six indigenously fabricated and constructed ACVs was signed with Chowgule & Company Private Limited, Goa, on 24 October 2024. The modern air cushion vehicles are intended for multipurpose maritime roles, including high-speed coastal patrolling, reconnaissance in shallow waters and marshy areas, and operations in deeper waters. They are also designed for interception and interdiction by day and night and for search and rescue missions, providing versatile capability in diverse littoral environments.

ACVs provide unique operational advantages where conventional craft face limitations, enabling rapid transit over water, mud and marsh to reach isolated locations and to render assistance to ships and boats in distress. Their deployment will add strategic mobility and operational flexibility to the ICG as it safeguards India's extensive and dynamic coastal zone. The domestic construction of these platforms is expected to strengthen the defence industrial base and support local suppliers in the maritime ecosystem.

The girder laying ceremony for the fourth to sixth units underscores an ongoing programme to bolster coastal security through indigenous manufacturing and platform modernisation. Progress on these ACVs complements other capability enhancement efforts and demonstrates the emphasis on domestic fabrication in critical maritime systems. Further milestones will be announced as the construction and outfitting of the vessels proceed towards operational deployment.

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