New Delhi: The Indian Navy commissioned INS Nipun, the second Diving Support Vessel (DSV) of the Nistar Class, at Mumbai's Naval Dockyard, on 31 August 2026, significantly strengthening its deep-sea diving, underwater intervention and submarine rescue capabilities.
The commissioning ceremony was presided over by Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Chief of the Naval Staff, in the presence of Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan and senior naval officers, along with representatives of Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), veterans and the commissioning crew’s families.
Indigenously designed and built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) Visakhapatnam, INS Nipun represents a major step towards Aatmanirbharta in defence shipbuilding. The vessel is purpose-built for deep-sea diving and underwater operations and can support saturation, air and heliox diving, along with remotely operated underwater systems for inspection and intervention.
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Equipped totally with a specialised diving complex, dynamic positioning systems, life-support and medical facilities, INS Nipun can undertake sustained and complex underwater missions. The vessel also has submarine rescue capabilities, allowing the Navy to respond to distressed submarines of India as well as partner nations.
Speaking at the commissioning, CNS Admiral Krishna Swaminathan said that the vessel reflects the strong synergy between the Indian Navy, HSL and India’s domestic industrial network. He highlighted that the successful proving of all diving systems during sea trials in a single sortie demonstrated India’s growing technical and engineering capabilities.
The CNS further stated that INS Nipun will help in strengthening specialised underwater operations, including diving, salvage, submarine rescue and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions. He noted that such niche capabilities, available with only a handful of global navies, support India’s position as a “Preferred Submarine Rescue Partner” in the region.
With the motto “Far Beneath, Few Beyond” and the crew’s guiding spirit of “Nischay, Nirbhay, Nipun”, the vessel has now formally entered operational service with the Indian Navy, strengthening India’s ability to safeguard its maritime interests and support operations beneath the waves.
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