Overview

• Girder laying and erection ceremony for the first indigenously built Air Cushion Vehicle took place at Chowgule & Company shipyard in Goa, marking the start of construction.
• The hovercraft design adapts proven Griffon Hoverwork models with Indian expertise to meet varied coastal security requirements.
• Once operational, the vessel will provide enhanced speed, tactical flexibility and shallow-water capability for patrol, interdiction and search-and-rescue missions.
• The six-hovercraft contract signed in October 2024 falls under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and is being procured through the Defence Ministry’s 'Buy (Indian)' category.
• Deputy Director General (Materiel & Maintenance) ICG Inspector General Sudhir Sahni presided over the ceremony, underscoring the Coast Guard’s push for operational self-reliance.