India commissions shallow-water anti-submarine vessel Mangrol

The Indian Navy commissioned anti-submarine vessel Mangrol at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on October 12. Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan attended the ceremony.

Mangrol is the third shallow-water anti-submarine warfare craft built by Cochin Shipyard Limited. More than 80% of its content is Indian-made, including weapons and sensors.

The vessel is designed to detect and counter submarines in coastal waters. Its equipment includes an Abhay hull-mounted sonar, lightweight torpedoes, an anti-submarine rocket launcher and the Mareech torpedo-decoy system.

Three diesel engines and waterjet propulsion provide manoeuvrability in shallow waters. Beyond anti-submarine operations, the ship can conduct underwater surveillance, low-intensity maritime operations and tasks associated with mine warfare.

The ship takes its name from the fishing harbour of Mangrol in Gujarat. An earlier Indian minesweeper carried the same name until it was decommissioned on April 7, 2004.