Indian Navy Commissioned First Indigenously Designed and Built Diving Support Vessel INS Nistar

INS Nistar, the country's first indigenously designed and built Diving Support Vessel (DSV), was formally commissioned into the Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam. The commissioning ceremony took place in the presence of Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, and marks a major step forward in India’s journey towards self-reliance in shipbuilding.

Built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited, INS Nistar is the first of two such vessels and is equipped to carry out deep-sea diving and submarine rescue operations, a rare capability that only a few advanced navies possess globally.

During the event, Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, called INS Nistar “not just a technological asset, but a crucial operational enabler.” He highlighted its role in providing critical submarine rescue support to both the Indian Navy and regional partners, reinforcing India’s position as a ‘Preferred Submarine Rescue Partner’ in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Naval Chief also emphasised that the commissioning of this vessel reflects the growing capability and maturity of India’s maritime industrial base, calling it a shining example of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

The ship is loaded with state-of-the-art diving technology, including remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), self-propelled hyperbaric lifeboats, and diving compression chambers. It can carry out rescue and salvage operations up to 300 metres deep, and also acts as the ‘Mother Ship’ for Deep Submergence Rescue Vessels (DSRV) – crucial for rescuing crew from distressed submarines.

Minister Sanjay Seth, in his speech, praised both the Indian Navy and the domestic shipbuilding industry for developing such a complex platform. He called INS Nistar a technological leap and said it reinforces India’s position as a ‘First Responder’ and ‘Preferred Security Partner’ in the region. He added that India remains fully prepared to deal with any misadventure from adversaries and continues to invest in future-ready forces.

With a length of 118 metres and displacing over 10,000 tons, INS Nistar showcases India’s ability to build large, advanced naval platforms. It features over 80% indigenous content, developed with the contribution of around 120 MSMEs, demonstrating India's rising capabilities in high-end naval engineering.

The induction of INS Nistar strengthens India's underwater rescue capacity and adds a new dimension to its strategic maritime reach, particularly in times of submarine emergencies, both for India and its friendly neighbours.