INS Nistar, India’s first indigenously designed and constructed Diving Support Vessel, has been formally commissioned into the Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam in the presence of Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth. Built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited, INS Nistar marks a technological and operational leap for India, enabling complex saturation diving and deep-sea rescue operations—a capability possessed by only a few Navies worldwide.
The vessel is equipped with state-of-the-art diving technologies including Remotely Operated Vehicles, a Self-Propelled Hyperbaric Lifeboat, and Diving Compression Chambers. It is capable of executing salvage and rescue missions up to 300 metres depth and will serve as the Mother Ship to a deep-submergence rescue vessel, allowing personnel extraction from distressed submarines far below the ocean surface.
With a length of 118 metres and displacement exceeding 10,000 tons, INS Nistar exemplifies India’s growing proficiency in indigenous warship design and maritime industrial manufacturing. The vessel incorporates more than 80 percent indigenous content and involved contributions from 120 Indian MSMEs, aligning closely with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
In his address, Sanjay Seth praised both the Navy and India’s shipbuilding sector for advancing local technologies and reaffirmed the Navy’s role as the region’s First Responder and Preferred Security Partner. He stated that INS Nistar represents a milestone in future-ready force development and reflects confidence in India’s capability to handle any geopolitical or security challenge.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi described INS Nistar as an operational enabler that will provide essential submarine rescue support both to India and its regional partners, further establishing India as a Preferred Submarine Rescue Partner. He added that the vessel is evidence of the maturity and expansion of India’s maritime industrial base.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by senior Naval officials, industry representatives, and members of the crew from the former INS Nistar. The vessel is now fully operational and underscores India’s resolve to enhance underwater maritime capability through indigenous innovation.
