1. INS Nistar & INS Nipun
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Diving Support Vessels (DSVs) - First indigenous DSVs of Indian Navy. |
| Builder | Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL), Visakhapatnam (Under MoD). |
| Commissioned | 2025 (Marking milestone in Aatmanirbhar Bharat). |
| Primary Role | Submarine rescue, deep-sea salvage, Search & Rescue (SAR), underwater repairs. |
| Namesake | Nistar: Legacy of 1971 rescue ship; Nipun: "Expert" in Hindi. |
2. Cutting-Edge Capabilities
| System | Function |
|---|---|
| Integrated Saturation Diving System | Supports diving up to 300m depth for prolonged underwater ops. |
| Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) | Deep-water surveillance & recovery missions. |
| Side Scan Sonar | Detects submerged objects/wreckage. |
| Submarine Rescue System | Rapid personnel recovery from disabled submarines. |
| IPMS | Centralized control of ship’s power, propulsion, auxiliaries. |
3. Strategic Significance
For Indian Navy:
- Submarine Rescue: Ends reliance on foreign systems (e.g., NATO’s SRV).
- IOR Security: Counters Chinese submarine deployments in Indian Ocean.
- Multi-Role Ops: SAR, disaster relief, offshore infrastructure inspection.
For Defence Indigenization:
- Atmanirbharta: 95% indigenous content; boosts HSL/Make in India.
- Tech Leap: Mastery in deep-sea systems, ROVs, saturation diving.
5. Regional & Global Implications
- Deterrence: Enhances underwater domain awareness in Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- Humanitarian Role: Quick response to regional disasters (e.g., shipwrecks, cyclones).
- Diplomatic Tool: Can assist friendly nations (e.g., Mauritius, Maldives) in SAR ops.
7. Challenges & Way Forward
- Tech Sustainment: Ensure spare parts/upgrades via indigenous ecosystem.
- Training: Specialized crew for saturation diving/ROV ops.
- Integration: With MRSOV (Multi-Role Support Vessel) fleet for holistic underwater ops.
Policy Link: Aligns with Maritime Security Strategy 2022 and SAGAR (Security & Growth for All in Region).