Indian Navy commissions second diving support vessel

The Indian Navy commissioned INS Nipun, the second diving support vessel (DSV) of the Nistar class, at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, on August 31, 2026.

Indigenously designed and constructed by Hindustan Shipyard, INS Nipun is a significant addition to the Indian Navy’s specialist underwater capability. Its induction demonstrates India’s growing capability to design and build technologically complex specialist naval platforms and is another significant step towards Aatmanirbharta in defense shipbuilding.

The vessel is a purpose-built platform designed primarily for deep-sea diving and underwater operations. The ship is capable of supporting saturation, air and heliox diving and is equipped with remotely operated underwater systems for inspection and intervention.

Its specialized diving complex, dynamic positioning capability and associated life-support and medical facilities enable sustained and complex operations at sea.

The unit is also capable of supporting submarine rescue operations, to strengthen the Indian Navy’s ability to respond to underwater contingencies. Along with its sister ship INS Nistar, the ship substantially enhances the Navy’s specialist capability in diving, underwater intervention, salvage and submarine rescue.

Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Chief of the Naval Staff, stated that the induction of INS Nipun reflects the seamless synergy between the Indian Navy, Hindustan Shipyard Limited and the domestic industrial network. He added that proving the role-worthiness of all diving systems during sea trials in a single sortie stands as a testament to the nation’s technical confidence and engineering prowess.

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

He noted that, based on the West Coast under the Western Naval Command, INS Nipun will be a powerful addition to the specialised underwater capabilities required to sustain multi-domain operations.