INS Mangrol has joined the Indian Navy as the third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) built by Cochin Shipyard Limited. This note covers INS Mangrol, the Mahe class and the linked ASW programme for prelims.
Why in News?
The Indian Navy commissioned INS Mangrol, the third ASW-SWC built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi, at Mumbai.
It strengthens coastal anti-submarine capability in shallow waters.
INS Mangrol: Key Facts for Prelims
- Class: Mahe-class ASW Shallow Water Craft.
- Sister ships: INS Mahe and INS Malvan, commissioned earlier.
- Builder: designed and constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited with high indigenous content.
- Role: detect, track and neutralise submarines and underwater threats in complex coastal zones; also mine-laying and sub-surface surveillance.
- Shallow-water craft free destroyers and frigates for blue-water operations.
- Named after Mangrol, a coastal town in Gujarat, continuing the tradition of naming ASW craft after coastal towns.
ASW Shallow Water Craft programme – static links
- The Navy ordered 16 ASW-SWCs: 8 from CSL (Mahe class) and 8 from GRSE (Arnala class).
- INS Arnala was the first of the GRSE-built class; the craft replace the old Abhay-class corvettes.
- Typical ASW sensors: hull-mounted sonar and low-frequency variable depth sonar; weapons include lightweight torpedoes and ASW rockets.
- Other ASW assets: P-8I aircraft, MH-60R helicopters and Kamorta-class corvettes.
- Cochin Shipyard also built India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
- Exercise links: India’s ASW skills are practised in exercises such as Malabar (with US, Japan, Australia) and Varuna (with France).
- Coastal ASW matters because the Indian Ocean littoral is shallow and noisy, which makes submarine detection by large ships difficult; small craft with specialised sonar fill this gap.
Quick Revision Table: INS Mangrol
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Named after | Mangrol, a coastal town of Gujarat |
| Type | Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft |
| Class | Mahe class (third ship) |
| Builder | Cochin Shipyard Limited |
| Sister ships | INS Mahe, INS Malvan |
| Parallel class | Arnala class by GRSE |
| Total ASW-SWCs ordered | 16 (8 CSL + 8 GRSE) |
Trap / Confusing Points: INS Mangrol
| Confusion | Correct Position |
|---|---|
| This ship is Arnala class | No – Mahe class (CSL); Arnala class is built by GRSE |
| Built by Mazagon Dock | No – Cochin Shipyard Limited |
| ASW-SWCs are blue-water ships | No – they operate in shallow coastal waters |
| Mangrol is a town in Maharashtra | No – Mangrol is a coastal town in Gujarat |
5 Practice MCQs on INS Mangrol
1. INS Mangrol belongs to which class of ships?
a. Arnala class
b. Mahe class
c. Kamorta class
d. Nilgiri class
Ans: B
Explanation: INS Mangrol is the third Mahe-class ASW-SWC.
2. Which shipyard built INS Mangrol?
a. GRSE
b. Mazagon Dock
c. Cochin Shipyard Limited
d. Goa Shipyard Limited
Ans: C
Explanation: Mahe-class craft are designed and built by CSL, Kochi.
3. How many ASW Shallow Water Craft has the Indian Navy ordered in total?
a. 8
b. 12
c. 16
d. 20
Ans: C
Explanation: Eight each from CSL and GRSE.
4. The primary role of an ASW Shallow Water Craft is:
a. Air defence of carrier groups
b. Anti-submarine operations in coastal waters
c. Amphibious landing
d. Strategic missile launch
Ans: B
Explanation: They hunt submarines and underwater threats close to the coast.
5. Consider the pairs: 1. INS Mahe – Cochin Shipyard 2. INS Arnala – GRSE. Which is/are correct?
a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither
Ans: C
Explanation: Mahe class is CSL-built; Arnala class is GRSE-built.
Exam tip: Revise INS Mangrol with the CSL–GRSE split of the 16 ASW-SWCs; matching ship–class–builder pairs is a common prelims format.
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