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The Indian Navy on Monday commissioned its second Diving Support Vessel (DSV), Nipun, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, further strengthening its capability to undertake complex underwater operations, submarine rescue and deep-sea diving missions.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan presided over the commissioning ceremony. He said this is a time of significant strategic change, as the maritime environment becomes increasingly contested amid the crisis in West Asia during the ceremony.
Built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Nipun was delivered to the Navy at Visakhapatnam on July 30. The vessel is the second ship of the Nistar-class Diving Support Vessels. It has been designed and constructed in accordance with the classification rules of the Indian Register of Shipping, according to officials of the Indian Navy.
Nipun is equipped to conduct deep-sea and saturation diving operations, search-and-rescue missions, salvage operations, and maritime patrolling. It can also support helicopter operations and undertake submarine rescue missions with an embarked Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV).
The vessel is fitted with advanced diving equipment and a side diving stage for specialised underwater operations. Its remotely operated vehicles enhance its capability for diver monitoring and deep-sea salvage.
As a DSRV mother ship, Nipun can support the evacuation of submarine personnel during emergencies, providing the Navy with a critical capability in the niche domain of submarine rescue.
Nipun takes its name from the Sanskrit word meaning ‘adept, capable, and well-versed in a particular discipline’, reflecting the vessel’s specialised role in deep-sea operations.
The commissioning also marks another step in the Navy’s drive towards indigenous shipbuilding. Built with nearly 75 per cent indigenous content, Nipun is being inducted as part of the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The vessel is expected to significantly enhance India’s underwater rescue and deep-sea diving capabilities.
India’s first indigenous Diving Support Vessel, INS Nistar, was also built by HSL and commissioned into the Navy on July 18, 2025.
Team BharatShakti
