New Delhi, October 30, 2025: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) marked significant progress in its fleet modernisation drive on Wednesday with keel-laying, plate-cutting, and girder-laying ceremonies for Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) and Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs) at shipyards in Mumbai and Goa.
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The ceremonies were held at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, and Chowgule’s Rassaim Yard in Goa, and attended by senior ICG officials including Inspector General Harman Preet Singh, Deputy Director General (Technical), and Inspector General Sudhir Sahni, TM, Deputy Director General (M&M). Senior representatives from MDL and Chowgule & Company also participated.
The events marked the keel laying of the second FPV, plate cutting for the fifth FPV under the 14-vessel project, and girder laying for the second and third indigenous ACVs.
Boost to Indigenous Defence Manufacturing
The ₹14-FPV contract between ICG and MDL was signed on January 24, 2024. These 340-tonne vessels, powered by water-jet propulsion systems, are designed for coastal surveillance, search and rescue, and maritime law enforcement. The ships will feature over 60% indigenous content, including locally manufactured gearboxes and water jets.
Each FPV will integrate advanced systems such as AI-enabled predictive maintenance tools and multipurpose drones, aligning with India’s focus on deploying cutting-edge technologies across maritime operations.
Similarly, the contract for six new ACVs, awarded on October 24, 2024, further strengthens the government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ vision in critical maritime capability development. Based on the proven Griffon Hoverwork design, the ACVs are being built in India with over 50% local content.
Enhanced Coastal Security Capabilities
Once commissioned, the ACVs will significantly enhance coastal security and rapid-response capabilities, enabling high-speed patrolling, reconnaissance, interdiction, and all-weather search and rescue across shallow waters, mudflats, and open seas.
Both FPV and ACV projects underscore India’s expanding shipbuilding ecosystem and the ICG’s commitment to strengthening maritime safety in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
The ICG said the projects reaffirm India’s growing expertise in advanced vessel construction and reflect the country’s strategic push toward indigenous defence production.
