The Indian Navy has welcomed its first indigenously designed and built Diving Support Vessel (DSV) named ‘Nistar’ from Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) at Visakhapatnam on 08 July 2025.

According to official sources, this warship has been designed and constructed following the classification rules of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). The ship is highly specialised and can carry out Deep Sea Diving and Rescue Operations, which only a few navies in the world are capable of performing.

INS Nistar is 118 metres long and has a tonnage of nearly 10,000 tons. It is equipped with modern diving systems and has the capability to perform Deep Sea Saturation Diving up to 300 metres underwater. Additionally, it has a Side Diving Stage that allows diving operations up to a depth of 75 metres.

The Navy informed that the ship is also fitted with a set of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) which are used for diver monitoring and salvage operations. These can function at depths of up to 1000 metres.

Another key function of the ship is to serve as the ‘Mother Ship’ for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV). This vessel will be used to rescue and evacuate personnel in case a submarine faces an emergency situation under the sea.

The ship’s name, ‘Nistar’, comes from Sanskrit, meaning liberation, rescue, or salvation, which reflects its primary purpose in supporting underwater rescue and diving operations.

As per the Navy’s statement, approximately 75% of the ship’s components are indigenously sourced, making it a significant achievement under the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative and the Make in India campaign.

Reference: PIB

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