The Indian Navy on Monday commissioned INS Nipun, the second Diving Support Vessel (DSV) of the Nistar class, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, significantly bolstering its deep-sea diving, underwater intervention and submarine rescue capabilities.

The commissioning ceremony was presided over by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan in the presence of Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, the Defence Ministry said.

Indigenously designed and built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam, INS Nipun is a purpose-built platform for deep-sea diving and specialised underwater operations. The vessel is capable of supporting saturation, air and heliox diving and is equipped with remotely operated underwater systems for inspection and intervention, the Ministry said.

The ship’s specialised diving complex, dynamic positioning capability, life-support systems and medical facilities enable sustained and complex underwater operations, including submarine rescue missions. These capabilities will strengthen the Navy’s ability to respond to underwater contingencies.

Together with its sister ship, INS Nistar, the vessel significantly enhances the Navy’s specialised capabilities in diving, underwater intervention, salvage and submarine rescue.

The induction also underscores India’s growing ability to design and build technologically complex specialised naval platforms and marks another step towards Aatmanirbharta in defence shipbuilding.

Addressing the gathering, Admiral Swaminathan said the induction of INS Nipun reflected the seamless synergy between the Indian Navy, HSL and the wider domestic industrial ecosystem.

He emphasised that combat readiness remains the Navy’s highest priority amid an increasingly contested maritime environment and growing threats to global maritime highways.

Based on the West Coast under the operational control of the Western Naval Command, INS Nipun would be a significant addition to the Navy’s specialised underwater capabilities required to sustain multi-domain operations, he said.

The vessel’s capabilities also position India as a “Preferred Submarine Rescue Partner” in the region, while enabling specialised support for underwater salvage as well as Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions, the Chief of Naval Staff added.

Senior naval officers, representatives of HSL, Visakhapatnam, veterans, distinguished guests and families of the commissioning crew attended the ceremony.