Goa: The Indian Coast Guard commissions its indigenously built Fast Patrol Vessel ICGS Ajit at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) on October 9, strengthening coastal surveillance and maritime security. Presided over by Dr Sirish Choudhary, Principal Integrated Financial Advisor (Coast Guard), the ceremony marks the vessel’s formal entry into service. Based at Okha, Gujarat, ICGS Ajit is designed for maritime surveillance, search and rescue, anti-smuggling operations and marine pollution response.
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Built by the defence public sector undertaking Goa Shipyard Limited, the 51.43-metre vessel incorporates more than 65% indigenous content. It displaces 330 tonnes and is powered by twin marine diesel engines driving controllable-pitch propellers, a feature intended to improve propulsion efficiency and operational performance. It can reach speeds exceeding 27 knots and has an endurance of 1,500 nautical miles.
The vessel will be operated by a crew of six officers and 35 sailors. Its missions include coastal patrolling, fisheries protection, surveillance of India’s Exclusive Economic Zone, anti-piracy operations and emergency response. Its deployment from Okha strengthens the Coast Guard’s presence along Gujarat’s coastline and adjoining offshore areas.
ICGS Ajit was formally handed over to the Coast Guard by Goa Shipyard Limited on August 25, 2026, ahead of its commissioning. The progression from delivery to operational service highlights the role of domestic shipyards in supplying platforms for India’s maritime security requirements
The commissioning reinforces the contribution of defence public sector undertakings to Aatmanirbhar Bharat, combining domestic shipbuilding with the induction of operational assets. For Goa Shipyard, the programme also supports India’s wider ambition to expand indigenous shipbuilding capacity and strengthen the domestic maritime industrial base.
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