Indian Coast Guard holds girder laying ceremony for indigenous air cushion vehicles in Goa
The Indian Coast Guard on Monday conducted the girder laying ceremony for the fourth, fifth and sixth Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs) being built for the force at the Rassaim Yard of Chowgule Shipyard in Goa.
The ACVs are being manufactured under the Centre’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative with around 50 per cent indigenous content, the Ministry of Defence said.
The contract for six indigenously designed and constructed ACVs was signed between the Coast Guard and Chowgule & Company Private Limited in October 2024.
According to the ministry, the modern air cushion vehicles will be used for multiple maritime operations, including high-speed coastal patrolling, reconnaissance in shallow waters and marshy terrain, deep-sea operations, interception and interdiction missions, and search and rescue activities.
The vessels are also expected to assist ships and boats in distress and enhance the Coast Guard’s operational capabilities across India’s coastal areas.
Officials said the deployment of the ACVs would provide greater strategic mobility and operational flexibility to the Coast Guard in safeguarding the country’s coastline.
