Indian Coast Guard Commissions ICGS Ajit as Navy Prepares to Commission INS Mangrol
India's maritime forces have added two new vessels this month. The Indian Coast Guard commissioned the indigenous Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) ICGS Ajit at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) on 9 October 2026. The Indian Navy scheduled the commissioning of INS Mangrol at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, on 12 October 2026.
ICGS Ajit
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Fast Patrol Vessel |
| Built by | Goa Shipyard Limited (defence PSU) |
| Commissioned | 9 October 2026 |
| Service | Indian Coast Guard |
Fast Patrol Vessels are used for:
- Coastal security and patrols
- Anti-smuggling and anti-poaching operations
- Search and rescue at sea
- Protecting India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and fisheries
Goa Shipyard has built a series of FPVs for the Coast Guard, with a high share of indigenous content.
INS Mangrol
INS Mangrol is due to join the Navy at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. The name Mangrol comes from the coastal town in Gujarat, following the Navy's tradition of naming some vessel classes after coastal places.
Why it matters
- Coastline security: India has a coastline of more than 7,500 km and an EEZ of over 2 million sq km. The 2008 Mumbai attacks, in which attackers came by sea, led to major investment in coastal security.
- Indian Ocean presence: more ships help India respond to piracy, disasters and increased activity by other navies in the Indian Ocean.
- Self-reliance: both vessels support the Aatmanirbhar Bharat goal of building defence platforms in Indian shipyards, which also creates jobs and supplier networks.
Related defence news
On 9 October, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presented the SIDM Champion Awards 2026 at the annual session of the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers. On the same day, IIT Ropar awarded its first MTech in Defence Technology degrees to 59 Army officers.