The Indian Navy is poised to commission its first of the class Diving Support Vessel (DSV) Nistar at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam on 18 July in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, according to an official statement released on Tuesday.
The commissioning will mark the formal induction of the indigenously designed and built vessel into the Eastern Naval Command.
The Nistar, constructed by Hindustan Shipyard Limited in Visakhapatnam, will bolster the Navy’s deep-sea diving and submarine rescue capabilities, the statement said.
The Navy described the ship as a symbol of the Government of India’s commitment to nation-building through self-reliance in defence production and its steadfast push for Aatmanirbharta.
The construction of the advanced vessel involved 120 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), achieving over 80% indigenous content, officials said.
In its earlier incarnation, the ex-Nistar served as a submarine rescue vessel acquired from the former USSR in 1969 and commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1971. It significantly contributed to the Navy’s diving and rescue operations for two decades before its decommissioning.
This new DSV Nistar continues that legacy, bearing the motto Surakshita Yatharthta Shauryam, which means “Deliverance with Precision and Bravery.” This symbolises the vessel’s critical role in submarine rescue and diving missions.
At approximately 120 metres in length and displacing over 10,000 tonnes, the DSV is equipped with a Dynamic Positioning System to maintain precise positioning during complex operations.
The ship hosts an expansive diving complex featuring Air and Saturation Diving Systems, Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), and a Side Scan SONAR to expand its underwater operational range.
Designed to serve as the ‘Mother Ship’ for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV), Nistar significantly boosts the Navy’s submarine rescue preparedness, the statement said.
The ship is also fitted with an Operating Theatre, Intensive Care Unit, an eight-bed hospital and Hyperbaric Medical Facilities — critical for its mission profile.
With an endurance of over 60 days at sea, a 15-tonne subsea crane and the ability to conduct helicopter operations, Nistar is described by the Navy as a versatile addition to its fleet.
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