India’s first indigenously built Diving Support Vessel, Nistar was commissioned on Friday, July 18, 2025. Hindustan Shipyard Limited built INS Nistar as the first of two diving support vessels. This marks a major maritime achievement for India.
A Legacy Reborn
Originally built on March 29, 1971, Nistar played a crucial role during the Indo-Pak war of 1971. It helped in identifying Pakistan’s sunken submarine PNS Gazi outside Visakhapatnam harbour. This marks the rebirth of INS Nistar. It will undertake complex deep sea saturation diving and rescue operations. Only a few select navies possess this capability across the globe.
INS Nistar features state-of-the-art diving equipment such as Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), Self-Propelled Hyperbaric Life Boats, and Diving Compression Chambers. The vessel can perform diving and salvage operations up to a depth of 300 meters. It also serves as the ‘Mother Ship’ for deep-submergence rescue vessels. This enables the Navy to rescue and evacuate personnel from a distressed submerged submarine. The ship is built with the involvement of 120 MSMEs and over 80% indigenous content. It stands as a testament to India’s ability to construct complex warships on par with international standards.
Strategic and Regional Significance
Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said that the new Nistar will carry forward its legacy. It will be equipped with advanced saturation dive systems. It will have the capability to rescue deep submergence rescue vessels, including submarines. “Old ships never die, they always return in upgraded form,” said Admiral Tripathi, during the commissioning ceremony.
Nistar is both operationally and strategically significant. It enhances not just India’s but also regional partners’ submarine rescue capabilities. Indigenous production sets up India to emerge as a preferred partner in submarine rescue globally.
Another Leap Towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat
The vessel was officially commissioned in the presence of Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth in Visakhapatnam. He praised the Indian Navy and its record of glorious victories. He described the induction of INS Nistar as a technological leap. It marks a significant milestone in India’s journey toward building a future-ready naval force. Mr. Seth further noted that the Nistar was decommissioned in 1989 and weighed 800 tonnes. Now, it is revived with a weight of 10,500 tonnes. It is 120 meters long. This reflects Viksit Bharat’s (Developed India) technological transformation.
India shifted from importer to exporter. It exported defence goods worth ₹23,622 crores. The target is ₹50,000 crores. This was achieved through the efforts of 120 MSME sector personnel, said Seth. He added that the indigenous shipbuilding industry serves as a key pillar of the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ campaign. Currently, Indian shipyards are working on 57 new warships.
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