NISTAR: FIRST INDIGENOUS DIVING SUPPORT VESSEL

INS Nistar, the Indian Navy’s first indigenously designed and constructed Diving Support Vessel (DSV), was officially commissioned on July 18, 2025 at Visakhapatnam. Built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), it marks a significant milestone in India's maritime capability and shipbuilding autonomy.

Designed to conduct complex deep-sea saturation diving and submarine rescue operations, INS Nistar is among a select class of vessels globally that can perform such specialized tasks, reinforcing India’s naval edge in the underwater domain.

A Diving Support Vessel (DSV) is a specialized naval platform equipped for underwater operations, including diver deployment, search and recovery, and submarine crew rescue from considerable depths. As a key feature, INS Nistar is intended to serve as the “Mother Ship” for Deep Submergence Rescue Vessels (DSRVs)—submarine rescue units designed to reach and evacuate personnel from submarines stranded at great depths.

Technically, INS Nistar is a formidable asset. The vessel spans approximately 120 metres in length, with a displacement of over 10,000 tonnes, and an endurance exceeding 60 days at sea. It is equipped with state-of-the-art systems such as Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), Self-Propelled Hyperbaric Life Boats (SPHLBs)—used for safe decompression of divers and submariners—and Diving Compression Chambers. With the ability to conduct diving and salvage operations up to 300 meters deep, Nistar is also fitted with a 15-tonne subsea crane for handling heavy underwater recovery tasks and features a Dynamic Positioning System (DPS) to maintain exact positioning during missions.

Furthermore, the vessel supports helicopter operations and includes Side-Scan SONAR technology, which helps in detailed seabed mapping—essential for underwater search and rescue activities. Upon commissioning, INS Nistar has been assigned to the Eastern Naval Command, one of the Indian Navy’s three major operational commands (alongside the Western and Southern Naval Commands), significantly enhancing its regional deep-sea capability.

The ship also carries forward a legacy—INS Nistar inherits the name and role of the original DSV acquired from the USSR in 1969 and decommissioned in 1989. With the new vessel's advanced features and operational capabilities, it represents a significant upgrade and enhances India’s ability to conduct strategic undersea missions independently, thereby reinforcing maritime strategic autonomy.

Built with over 80% indigenous content and involving 120 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the commissioning of INS Nistar is also a testament to the growing maturity of India’s maritime industrial base, proving its ability to deliver complex naval platforms at par with global standards.

The commissioning ceremony was attended by senior Naval officials, civilian dignitaries, representatives from Hindustan Shipyard Limited, and even crew members of the erstwhile Nistar, symbolizing both technological progress and historical continuity.

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