Chowgule Shipyard Launches India's First Private-Sector Hovercraft

of Defence contract signed in October 2024. Hovercraft operate on a cushion of pressurised air, enabling them to navigate shallow waters, mudflats, and coastal creeks inaccessible to traditional vessels, making them ideal for surveillance, interdiction, disaster response, and search-and-rescue missions. While India has previously operated imported hovercraft, this marks the first domestically built series by a private shipyard. The project involved advanced manufacturing techniques and specialised aluminium fabrication at Chowgule's Goa facilities. This development supports India's Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives, reflecting the shipyard's broader innovation efforts in high-technology vessel construction.