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The commissioning of the Indian Navy’s first indigenously built Diving Support Vessel (DSV), INS Nistar, marks a critical turning point in India’s evolving maritime security strategy. Beyond its immediate utility, this advanced vessel showcases India’s broader aspirations to emerge as a regional leader in maritime safety and security, particularly at a time when underwater threats and naval rivalries have intensified in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Why INS Nistar Matters
The Indian Ocean, which carries more than 80 per cent of global seaborne trade, has steadily become a contested theatre, drawing increased interest from major powers. Alongside traditional threats such as piracy and maritime accidents, the region now faces new complexities, including underwater espionage, illegal fishing, and climate change-related disasters.
INS Nistar, built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited and commissioned at Visakhapatnam on July 18, 2025, is strategically designed to address precisely these challenges. Measuring around 120 metres, displacing roughly 10,000 tonnes, and incorporating sophisticated underwater capabilities, the vessel stands as a significant technological achievement under India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ campaign. It embodies both strategic self-reliance and a proactive maritime stance.
Also Read: India’s 1st Submarine Rescue Diving Support Vessel INS Nistar Commissioned
Submarine Safety in an Era of Growing Risks
INS Nistar is primarily a vessel designed for emergencies at sea, with a focus on submarine rescue missions. It serves as a mother ship for India’s Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles (DSRVs), enabling rapid rescue operations at depths up to 300 metres. This capability places India among an elite group of nations—including the US, China, Russia, and the UK—that possess comprehensive submarine rescue assets.
The vessel’s importance is underscored by recent incidents involving submarine mishaps globally, which can quickly escalate into international crises. Its advanced features, such as dynamic positioning, advanced sonar systems, and subsea cranes, ensure precise and rapid response during complex rescue operations, greatly enhancing the Navy’s capacity to respond swiftly in emergencies.
Countering China’s Maritime Moves
INS Nistar arrives at a time when underwater espionage activities have notably surged in the IOR, primarily driven by China’s increased naval presence. Since 2020, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has significantly expanded operations in waters close to India’s strategic maritime zones, often deploying advanced Yuan-class and Jin-class submarines under the guise of civilian research vessels. Such operations, primarily focused on underwater mapping and intelligence gathering, pose serious security concerns for India.
By deploying INS Nistar, India enhances its underwater domain awareness, thereby creating a strategic deterrent against covert activities by foreign navies, particularly those of China. With its advanced sensors and capabilities, the vessel strengthens India’s monitoring of sensitive maritime regions, such as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, bolstering India’s strategic leverage.
Maritime Humanitarian Role
INS Nistar’s value extends beyond traditional naval security, significantly upgrading India’s humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) capabilities. Its onboard medical facilities, which include a fully equipped hospital with ICU capabilities, allow for a rapid response to maritime accidents or humanitarian emergencies at sea, exemplified by previous maritime disasters like the fire onboard MV Marlin Luanda.
This dimension supports India’s longstanding tradition as a first responder in regional maritime crises, aligning perfectly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine, which emphasises cooperative regional maritime security and prosperity.
Projecting Maritime Leadership
INS Nistar also enhances India’s ongoing regional maritime security initiatives, such as Operation Sankalp. Under this operation, India has escorted thousands of merchant vessels safely through piracy-prone waters, apprehending numerous pirates and reinforcing India’s image as a responsible maritime security provider.
With Nistar’s inclusion, India significantly expands its capacity for coordinated multinational naval exercises, bilateral maritime cooperation, and strategic anti-piracy operations. Its robust capabilities are a strategic advantage, as shown in previous Indian Navy operations against piracy far off the Somali coast.
Also Read: INS Nistar Delivered to Navy: A Game-Changer in India’s Underwater Warfare Capability
Future Outlook and Strategic Significance
In the broader strategic context, INS Nistar sends a clear signal that India is committed not only to protecting its waters but also to playing a decisive role in regional maritime security. The vessel’s commissioning underscores India’s growing strategic autonomy, its reduced dependency on foreign technology, and its positioning as a credible maritime power.
As geopolitical rivalries intensify and underwater challenges become increasingly sophisticated, vessels like INS Nistar will prove indispensable. India’s maritime strategy now encompasses not only deterrence and traditional naval power projection but also humanitarian response capabilities and cooperative regional security. INS Nistar is a critical piece in this expanding maritime security puzzle—one that ensures India remains ready to respond swiftly and decisively to evolving maritime threats.
Team BharatShakti
