Construction Commences on India's First Indigenous Hovercraft for Coast Guard in Goa
Construction commenced on Wednesday for India's first domestically built Air Cushion Vehicle (ACV) intended for the Indian Coast Guard. The event took place at the shipyard of Chowgule & Company Pvt. Ltd. in Goa, marked by a ceremony for the girder laying and erection. Inspector General Sudhir Sahni, Deputy Director General (Materiel & Maintenance) of the Coast Guard, attended the occasion.
These hovercrafts, which are based on proven designs from Griffon Hoverwork, are being tailored with Indian expertise to suit a variety of coastal security requirements. The Ministry of Defence stated that these ACVs will greatly enhance the Coast Guard’s capabilities by providing better speed, shallow-water access, and tactical flexibility for various operations, including patrolling, interdiction, and search-and-rescue along India's extensive maritime border.
The project is being carried out under a contract signed on October 24, 2024, for the production of six ACVs. This development is seen as a pivotal move towards increasing operational self-sufficiency in maritime defence, aligning with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently underlined the broader progress made in India's defence manufacturing sector. He reported that the nation’s indigenous defence production reached a record ₹1.46 lakh crore in the financial year 2024–25, with exports rising to ₹24,000 crore. The private sector's contribution to this growth was significant, accounting for over ₹32,000 crore.
Singh highlighted that indigenous systems were crucial during Operation Sindoor, showcasing India’s capability to penetrate enemy defences. He also mentioned that the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme will for the first time allow the private sector to partner with public enterprises on a major defence project, further advancing the Make in India initiative.
The ACV project is regarded as a further step in enhancing India’s maritime response capabilities while fostering domestic defence manufacturing.
