Indian Coast Guard inducts its first indigenous Air Cushion Vehicle (hovercraft) in Goa
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) inducted the first of six indigenous Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs) — hovercraft designated H-561 — into service at a ceremony in Goa on June 18, 2026. The vessels are being built by Chowgule & Company Private Limited under a Ministry of Defence contract, advancing self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in maritime shipbuilding. The ICG said the ACV will significantly enhance capabilities in coastal surveillance, maritime security, search-and-rescue, law enforcement and rapid-response tasks, and is suited to operations in environmentally sensitive and challenging terrains such as shallow waters, mudflats and creeks where conventional craft cannot operate. The hovercraft clocked 52 knots during sea trials, exceeding its contractual requirement of 48 knots.
Key Facts & Details
9 points- 1The Indian Coast Guard inducted the first of six indigenous Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs) — hovercraft H-561 — in Goa on June 18, 2026.
- 2The ACVs are being built by Chowgule & Company Private Limited under a Ministry of Defence contract.
- 3The hovercraft enhances coastal surveillance, maritime security, search-and-rescue, law enforcement and rapid-response capabilities.
- 4ACVs can operate over shallow waters, mudflats, creeks and sandbanks where conventional vessels cannot.
- 5The craft clocked 52 knots in sea trials, beating its 48-knot contractual requirement.
- 6The induction advances Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliance) in indigenous defence shipbuilding.
Deep Dive
- +An Air Cushion Vehicle (ACV), or hovercraft, rides on a cushion of air pushed downward by fans, letting it travel over water, ice, mud and land alike — ideal for amphibious patrol of difficult coastal terrain.
- +The Indian Coast Guard already operates a fleet of hovercraft for shallow-water patrol; indigenising the build reduces import dependence and supports domestic shipyards.
- +The ICG, the world's fourth-largest coast guard, has steadily expanded its indigenous fleet of offshore patrol vessels, fast patrol vessels, interceptor boats and ACVs.
Exam Focus
Examiners will test the inducting force (Indian Coast Guard), the platform (Air Cushion Vehicle/hovercraft), the builder (Chowgule & Company), the location/date (Goa, June 18, 2026) and the number ordered (six).
Related Topics
Exam Relevance & Angle
Indigenous defence inductions are a recurring defence GA theme tied to Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India. The ICG hovercraft is exam-relevant because it bundles the Indian Coast Guard's role, indigenous shipbuilding and a clean set of testable specifics (builder, number, location).
Target Exams
Background & Context
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is an armed maritime law-enforcement and search-and-rescue agency under the Ministry of Defence, established in 1978 under the Coast Guard Act, 1978. Its mandate covers protection of India's maritime zones, including the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), marine environment protection, anti-smuggling and anti-poaching operations, and coastal security (strengthened after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks). An Air Cushion Vehicle (ACV), commonly known as a hovercraft, is an amphibious craft that travels on a cushion of pressurised air contained by a flexible skirt, allowing it to move over water, marsh, sandbanks and shallow coastal stretches where deep-draught boats cannot operate — making it valuable for patrolling India's creeks, mudflats and shallow littoral zones. The induction supports the government's Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India drives to build defence platforms domestically.
Related GK Concepts
Must KnowTest Yourself
1 / 2The first indigenous Air Cushion Vehicle (hovercraft) inducted on June 18, 2026 joined which force?
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