India Commissions First Indigenous Diving Support Vessel, INS Nistar
A proud moment unfolded at Visakhapatnam as the Indian Navy officially received INS Nistar, the nation’s first indigenously designed and constructed Diving Support Vessel (DSV). Built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), this advanced vessel not only adds a strategic capability to India’s naval arsenal but also reflects a deeper national goal: self-reliance in defense. With nearly 75% indigenous content, INS Nistar is a floating testament to the Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives. The ship is a rare asset, with its kind of deep-sea capability possessed by only a few navies around the world.What is a Diving Support Vessel?A Diving Support Vessel is not just another warship. It is a highly specialized vessel designed to support deep-sea diving operations, including underwater repairs, submarine rescue missions, and salvage operations. These are life-saving, high-risk tasks requiring state-of-the-art technology, precision, and human endurance. INS Nistar will serve as a “Mother Ship” for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV), a critical asset that can reach stranded submarines at extreme depths and rescue personnel. In underwater emergencies, time is of the essence, and Nistar will now be India's first response in such life-or-death situations.A Name that Carries MeaningThe name ‘Nistar’ comes from Sanskrit, meaning liberation, salvation, or rescue. It perfectly reflects the ship’s purpose—to bring hope, rescue lives, and offer safety in the unforgiving depths of the ocean. There’s something deeply human in this choice. For every sailor who boards a submarine, the existence of a vessel like Nistar is a reassurance. In their quiet confidence lies a belief that their nation will reach them, no matter how deep they go.Built in India, for IndiaINS Nistar was designed and constructed by Hindustan Shipyard Limited, one of India’s oldest and most experienced shipbuilding facilities. The project’s completion is a triumph of Indian engineering and naval design, built to meet the rigorous classification standards of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). At 118 meters in length and nearly 10,000 tonnes in weight, Nistar is not just massive in size—it’s massive in capability. It is built with the technological sophistication needed for India’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean and beyond. The ship is equipped to support deep-sea saturation diving up to 300 meters, a technique that allows divers to work for extended periods at great depths. Designed for shallower operations, it allows diving missions up to 75 meters, supporting day-to-day underwater tasks like hull inspections and minor repairs. The vessel is fitted with advanced ROVs capable of performing tasks and monitoring diver activity up to 1000 meters deep—well beyond the reach of human divers. Perhaps the most critical function, the ship will carry and support the DSRV, enabling emergency rescue missions in submarine accidents. These features make Nistar a rare gem in naval capability—not just in Asia, but across the globe.More Than MetalBeyond its technological marvel, INS Nistar holds a human story at its core. For every submariner who goes underwater, there’s an unspoken trust that their country has the ability to bring them home even from the ocean’s deepest corners. Nistar turns that trust into reality. It’s more than a ship; it’s a lifeline. The crew who will man this ship, the divers who will plunge into the deep, and the engineers who will operate its complex systems are all bound by one common goal: rescue and recovery. Their courage, skills, and discipline ensure that India not only dominates the surface seas but is equally equipped to manage the unseen world beneath. It enhances India’s strategic reach, enabling it to offer aid during underwater accidents—not just within Indian waters but potentially as a regional leader in deep-sea rescue operations. In the future, Nistar could even participate in international missions, strengthening naval diplomacy and humanitarian outreach. In a world where the oceans are becoming increasingly strategic, INS Nistar is India’s way of saying, We are ready—for peace, for crisis, and for the deep.