Indian Coast Guard Conducts Girder Laying Ceremony for Indigenous Air Cushion Vehicles in Goa

1. At a Glance

Girder Laying Ceremony for the 4th, 5th & 6th Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs / hovercraft) for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) held at Rassaim Yard of Chowgule Shipyard, Goa on 11 May 2026 [S1].
First-ever indigenous construction of ACVs in India under Aatmanirbhar Bharat, with >50% indigenous content based on the proven Griffon Hoverwork (UK) design [S1][S2].
Examinable for GS-III (Defence, Indigenisation, Internal Security) — links coastal security, Make-in-India shipbuilding, and ICG's role in shallow-water/marshy patrolling [S1][S2].

11 May 2026: Girder laying of ACVs 4, 5, 6 at Chowgule Shipyard, Goa [S1].
Follows the ₹387.44 crore contract signed by MoD with Chowgule & Company Pvt. Ltd., Goa on 24 Oct 2024 for six ACVs [S2].
Earlier milestone: Keel laying of two Fast Patrol Vessels and girder laying of first two ACVs at the same yard (PIB PRID 2184226) [S3].

ICG inducted hovercraft from Griffon Hoverwork (UK) historically; existing fleet based at Okha and Jakhau (Gujarat) for Gulf of Kutch surveillance over ~50 islands [S4].
Hovercraft Maintenance Unit (HMU) hangar inaugurated at ICG Station Mandapam (Tamil Nadu) in 2021 (PRID 1749424) [S5].
24 Oct 2024: MoD–Chowgule contract — first fully indigenous ACV build for ICG [S2].
2025: Indigenous hovercraft construction begins at Chowgule Shipyard (PRID 2150049) [S6].
11 May 2026: Girder laying of remaining three ACVs (4–6) [S1].

Project: 6 indigenous Air Cushion Vehicles for ICG [S2].
Contract value: ₹387.44 crore [S2].
Vendor: Chowgule & Company Pvt. Ltd., Goa (Rassaim Yard) [S1][S2].
Contract date: 24 October 2024 [S2].
Indigenous content: >50% [S2]; PIB 2026 release states "50% indigenous material" [S1].
Design base: Griffon Hoverwork, UK (proven design, indigenised build) [S2].
Parent ministry: Ministry of Defence (MoD) [S2]; operating force: Indian Coast Guard (under MoD, raised under Coast Guard Act, 1978).
Roles: high-speed coastal patrolling; reconnaissance in shallow waters, marshy areas, deep sea; interception/interdiction; day–night SAR [S1][S2].
Existing ACV bases: Okha & Jakhau (Gujarat) for Gulf of Kutch / ~50 islands [S4].
Maintenance hub: HMU, Mandapam (TN) [S5].

Strategic / Security: ACVs uniquely cover amphibious creeks of Gujarat (Sir Creek, Harami Nala), Sundarbans, marshy Rann — areas inaccessible to conventional patrol boats; critical post-26/11 coastal-security architecture [S4].
Economic / Industrial: ₹387.44 cr order to a private Indian shipyard signals depth in Tier-2 defence shipbuilding beyond DPSUs (GSL, MDL); supports MSME ancillary base in Goa [S2].
Scientific / Technological: Transfer/absorption of hovercraft (skirt + lift-fan + waterjet) technology; ICG inaugurated an indigenous Waterjet Production & Testing Facility in Goa in 2025 (PRID 2227772) [S7].
Administrative / Aatmanirbhar Bharat: Aligns with Positive Indigenisation Lists and Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 "Buy {Indian–IDDM}" category; >50% IC threshold is the standard benchmark [S1][S2].

24 Oct 2024 — MoD–Chowgule ₹387.44 cr contract for 6 ACVs [S2].
2025 — Indigenous hovercraft construction commences at Chowgule (PRID 2150049) [S6].
2025 — Keel laying of 2 FPVs + girder laying of ACVs 1 & 2/3 (PRID 2184226) [S3].
2025 — DG ICG inaugurates Waterjet Production & Testing Facility, Goa (PRID 2227772) [S7].
11 May 2026 — Girder laying for 4th, 5th & 6th ACVs at Rassaim Yard, Goa [S1].

Air Cushion Vehicle = Hovercraft; lift via skirt + cushion of air, propulsion via waterjet/airscrew [S1].
Builder: Chowgule & Company Pvt. Ltd., Rassaim Yard, Goa (private shipyard, not a DPSU) [S1][S2].
Contract value: ₹387.44 crore; signed 24 Oct 2024 [S2].
Total ACVs ordered: 6; design origin: Griffon Hoverwork, UK [S2].
Indigenous content: >50% under Aatmanirbhar Bharat [S1][S2].
Existing ICG ACV bases: Okha & Jakhau in Gujarat (Gulf of Kutch) [S4].
Hovercraft Maintenance Unit (HMU) hangar is at ICG Station Mandapam, Tamil Nadu (2021) [S5].
ICG operates under Ministry of Defence, raised under Coast Guard Act, 1978.
Roles include interception/interdiction and SAR by day & night [S1].
11 May 2026 ceremony covered ACVs 4, 5 and 6 (girder laying, not keel laying) [S1].

GS-III: Indigenisation of technology & developing new technology; Security challenges in border areas / coastal security; Role of various security forces and agencies.
GS-II: Government policies — Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence.
Possible stems:
"Indigenous shipbuilding for the Indian Coast Guard has shifted from DPSU monopoly to a wider private participation. Critically evaluate."
"Discuss the role of Air Cushion Vehicles in India's coastal security architecture, with reference to the Gulf of Kutch and Sundarbans."
"Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence procurement: examine through recent ICG acquisitions."

Indian Coast Guard — Coast Guard Act 1978, role & structure: parent framework.
Coastal Security architecture post-26/11: ICG–Navy–Marine Police three-tier model.
Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 & Positive Indigenisation Lists: procurement basis.
Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) & Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs): parallel ICG programme [S3].
Sir Creek dispute & Sundarbans patrolling: operational theatres for ACVs.
Griffon Hoverwork hovercraft (UK) & global ACV users: comparative tech.
Sagar Kavach / Sea Vigil exercises: coastal-security drills [S8].
Make in India — Defence shipbuilding ecosystem: MSME/private yard role.

ICG is under MoD, not MHA (BSF/CISF confusion).
Builder is Chowgule & Co. (private), not Goa Shipyard Ltd (DPSU) — both are in Goa.
11 May 2026 event was Girder Laying, not Keel Laying or Launch/Commissioning.
Indigenous content threshold quoted as >50%, not 60% (the higher Buy-Indian-IDDM benchmark).
ACV bases are Okha & Jakhau (Gujarat); Mandapam (TN) hosts the maintenance hangar, not the operating squadron.
Design source Griffon Hoverwork (UK) — sometimes wrongly attributed to Russia/Zubr-class.

[S1] Indian Coast Guard Conducts Girder Laying Ceremony for Indigenous Air Cushion Vehicles in Goa — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2259968 — (tier 1)
[S2] MoD inks Rs 387.44 crore contract with Chowgule & Company Pvt. Ltd., Goa for six Air Cushion Vehicles for ICG — https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2067697 — (tier 1)
[S3] Milestone for ICG with Keel Laying & Plate Cutting of two FPVs and Girder Laying of two ACVs — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2184226 — (tier 1)
[S4] Defence Secretary visits ICG facilities in the North West Region — https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2016643 — (tier 1)
[S5] Hovercraft Maintenance Hangar inaugurated at ICG Station, Mandapam — https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1749424 — (tier 1)
[S6] Indigenous Hovercraft Construction for ICG Begins at Chowgule Shipyard — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2150049 — (tier 1)
[S7] DG ICG inaugurates Waterjet Production & Testing Facility in Goa — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2227772 — (tier 1)
[S8] ICG conducts coastal security exercise Sagar Kavach — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2192653 — (tier 1)