Chowgule Shipyard commences construction on India’s first domestically constructed air cushion vehicle

With a girder laying ceremony at its Rassaim Yard, Goa-based shipbuilder Chowgule and Company Pvt Ltd kicked off work on India’s first domestically constructed Air Cushion Vehicle (ACV), marking a major turning point for Indian shipbuilding and coastal defense. The first of six Air Cushion Vehicles, the first hovercrafts ever constructed in India, was ordered by the Ministry of Defense for the Indian Coast Guard at a cost of ₹387.44 crore. According to Chowgule and Company, the project represents a major advancement in fortifying India’s self-sufficient defense manufacturing ecosystem and coastal security infrastructure.

Inspector General Sudhir Sahni, TM, Dy Director General (Material & Maintenance), Indian Coast Guard, and other high-ranking authorities attended the vessel’s girder laying event. To mark the milestone, key representatives from the Chowgule Group as well as Arjun Chowgule, Executive Director, Chowgule and Company, were in attendance. The hovercrafts, which are being built wholly with Indian expertise and developed by Griffon Hoverwork (UK), demonstrate the expanding capability of indigenous industry in high-tech defense systems.

The building is taking place in a fully furnished aluminum facility, demonstrating Chowgule’s dedication to precision manufacturing and technological innovation. This program highlights India’s rising prominence in defense manufacturing and maritime innovation and is completely in line with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Made in India goals.