Indian Navy commissions deep-sea diving vessel INS Nipun
INS Nipun, an indigenously designed and constructed Diving Support Vessel (DSV), was commissioned into the Indian Navy at a ceremony held at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai
The Chief of the Naval Staff led the commissioning ceremony
INS Nipun is the second Nistar-class Diving Support Vessel built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam, following INS Nistar's commissioning in 2025
The vessel will be based on India's west coast under the Western Naval Command, complementing INS Nistar's coverage of the east coast
Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) Programme and Submarine Rescue
A Diving Support Vessel like INS Nipun functions as a "mother ship" for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV), a submersible craft used to rescue personnel trapped in a disabled submarine on the seabed. This capability is critical for a Navy operating a submarine fleet, since submarine accidents require rapid, specialised rescue response distinct from ordinary maritime search and rescue.
Key Details
- India inducted its DSRV capability starting 2018, ending prior reliance on foreign navies for submarine rescue support
- DSVs like Nipun and Nistar carry saturation diving systems, diving compression chambers, self-propelled hyperbaric lifeboats, and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) alongside DSRV mothership functions
- INS Nipun can support diving operations to a depth of about 300 metres, with ROVs extending search reach further
- Having DSVs on both coasts (Nistar on the east under Eastern Naval Command, Nipun on the west under Western Naval Command) gives the Navy simultaneous rescue coverage for its eastern and western submarine fleets
INS Nipun's commissioning completes a two-vessel DSV pair that gives the Indian Navy indigenous, dual-coast submarine rescue and deep-sea diving capability, reducing dependence on allied navies for emergency response.
Indigenous Naval Shipbuilding and Atmanirbhar Bharat
Both Nistar-class vessels are built domestically by Hindustan Shipyard Limited, a Defence PSU under the Ministry of Defence, reflecting the push for self-reliance in naval platforms under the broader Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative in defence production.
Key Details
- Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam, is a Mini-Ratna Category-I Defence PSU under the Ministry of Defence, also involved in submarine and support vessel construction
- INS Nistar (the class's first vessel) reportedly achieved over 80% indigenous content
- The Nistar-class vessels are approximately 118-119 metres long, with displacement above 10,000 tonnes
- Indigenous DSV construction follows the broader pattern seen in indigenous aircraft carrier (INS Vikrant) and destroyer/frigate programmes under India's warship-building yards (Mazagon Dock, Garden Reach, Cochin Shipyard, HSL)
INS Nipun's commissioning is presented as a milestone in domestic warship-building capacity, extending indigenisation from combat platforms to specialised support and rescue vessels.
Naval Command Structure
The Indian Navy organises its operational areas into geographic commands, each headed by a Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, responsible for operations, training, and administration within its zone.
Key Details
- Major operational commands: Western Naval Command (HQ Mumbai), Eastern Naval Command (HQ Visakhapatnam), and Southern Naval Command (HQ Kochi, primarily training)
- The Western Naval Command oversees the Arabian Sea and India's western maritime approaches, including the Gulf and adjoining sea lanes
- The Eastern Naval Command covers the Bay of Bengal and eastern maritime approaches
- Assigning INS Nipun to the Western Naval Command mirrors INS Nistar's assignment to the Eastern Naval Command, ensuring balanced coastal coverage
INS Nipun's basing on the west coast under Western Naval Command directly maps the Navy's dual-coast rescue architecture onto its existing command structure.
- INS Nipun commissioned: August 31, 2026, at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai
- Vessel class: Nistar-class Diving Support Vessel (second of the class)
- Builder: Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam
- Length: approximately 119 metres; displacement: over 10,000 tonnes
- Diving support depth: up to about 300 metres
- Basing: Western Naval Command (west coast); sister vessel INS Nistar (commissioned July 2025) is based under Eastern Naval Command
- Key onboard systems: saturation diving system, dynamic positioning system, diving compression chambers, self-propelled hyperbaric lifeboats, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs)