Indian Navy Geared Up to Commission INS Nistar, Its First Indigenous Diving Support Vessel

In a significant boost to India's underwater operational capabilities and indigenous defence manufacturing, the Indian Navy on will commission INS Nistar, the country's first indigenously designed and built Diving Support Vessel (DSV), tomorrow 18 July 2024. The ceremony, which will be held at Visakhapatnam, is slated to be presided over by the Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, in the presence of Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, and other senior dignitaries.

INS Nistar, constructed by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), represents a major milestone in India's march towards self-reliance in defence production. The vessel has over 80% indigenous content and saw active participation from 120 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the country. The commissioning of this platform will underline India's capability to build complex and mission-critical vessels in line with international standards.

Weighing over 10,500 tonnes and measuring close to 120 metres in length, INS Nistar is a specialised platform designed for deep-sea diving and submarine rescue operations. The ship will be based under the Eastern Naval Command, further strengthening India's maritime posture in the Bay of Bengal and beyond.

Built for the Depths

INS Nistar has been engineered to serve as the Mother Ship for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV), a critical asset used to rescue personnel from distressed submarines. The vessel is equipped with advanced saturation diving systems that enable operations up to 300 metres below sea level. It also hosts a suite of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) capable of underwater intervention at depths reaching 1,000 metres.

A unique feature of INS Nistar is its multi-deck diving complex, which facilitates sophisticated underwater missions. The vessel also houses a state-of-the-art onboard hospital, complete with an Intensive Care Unit and hyperbaric medical facilities, making it capable of supporting prolonged underwater operations and managing diving-related medical emergencies.

The ship also features a Dynamic Positioning System, allowing it to maintain exact location and stability during rescue or diving missions in challenging sea states-an essential requirement for precision operations.

Symbol of Make-in-India

INS Nistar is more than a maritime asset; it is a symbol of India's growing confidence in its indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities. With its construction involving over a hundred Indian MSMEs and cutting-edge local technologies, the vessel embodies the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).

A Crest That Tells a Story

INS Nistar's crest bears rich maritime symbolism. An anchor, representing stability and naval strength, is encircled by a dolphin, a traditional friend of seafarers and an omen of fair weather. The ship's motto, "Deliverance with Precision and Bravery," captures its mission to carry out complex and daring underwater rescue operations with accuracy and courage.

With INS Nistar now set to officially join the service, India joins a select group of nations that possess dedicated and indigenous DSV capabilities-crucial not just for peacetime submarine support and rescue, but also for enhancing operational endurance and survivability of its underwater fleet.

As the Indian Navy continues to expand its blue water ambitions, platforms like Nistar add a new dimension to its submarine support architecture, enabling it to project strength not only across the surface but deep below it.