The Indian Navy commissioned INS Nipun, the second Diving Support Vessel (DSV) of the Nistar class, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on August 31, 2026, significantly strengthening the force’s specialist underwater, deep-sea diving and submarine rescue support capabilities.
Indigenously designed and constructed by Visakhapatnam-based Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), the 9,000-tonne vessel represents a major step in India’s ability to build technologically complex specialist naval platforms. INS Nipun is equipped for a range of demanding underwater missions, including deep-sea diving, salvage, underwater intervention and support to submarine rescue operations.
The vessel features advanced capabilities such as saturation diving systems, a dynamic positioning system, diving compression chambers, self-propelled hyperbaric lifeboats and remotely operated vehicles. It can also embark and operate the Indian Navy’s Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV), giving the Navy enhanced capacity to respond to distressed submarines.
Navy Chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan presided over the commissioning ceremony in the presence of Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, senior naval officers and representatives of Hindustan Shipyard Limited.
Following its commissioning, INS Nipun will be based on the West Coast under the Western Naval Command. Admiral Swaminathan described the vessel as a significant addition to the specialised underwater capabilities required to sustain multidomain operations.
The Navy Chief highlighted the evolving maritime security environment, including instability in West Asia, threats to global maritime highways and accelerated military modernisation across the region. He said the Western Naval Command would remain prepared to address challenges along and beyond India’s western seaboard, with INS Nipun enabling the Navy to strengthen its ability to operate above, on and beneath the waves.
Admiral Swaminathan emphasised that although the precise nature of future threats cannot always be predicted, the Navy must anticipate emerging challenges and develop credible capabilities that can respond effectively and within the required timeframe.
The vessel’s ability to embark and operate the Indian Navy’s DSRV is among its most significant capabilities. According to the Navy Chief, this substantially enhances India’s ability to respond to submarine emergencies involving Indian submarines as well as those of partner navies.
The capability also supports India’s ambition to emerge as a preferred submarine rescue partner in the region. Beyond submarine rescue, INS Nipun’s specialist diving and underwater capabilities can be employed for underwater salvage and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations, providing an additional dimension to India’s maritime cooperation efforts.
The name ‘Nipun’ signifies someone who is adept, capable and well-versed in a particular discipline. The vessel’s capabilities reflect this theme, bringing together a combination of specialist underwater systems possessed by only a limited number of navies worldwide.
INS Nipun joins its sister ship INS Nistar, substantially enhancing the Indian Navy’s overall capacity for specialist diving, underwater intervention, salvage and submarine rescue support. Together, the two vessels are expected to provide greater flexibility for complex underwater operations and emergency response.
The commissioning also highlights the growing role of Indian shipyards in delivering specialised platforms for the Navy. Admiral Swaminathan congratulated Hindustan Shipyard Limited, noting its long association with India’s indigenous shipbuilding journey and its transition towards increasingly sophisticated platforms.
The Navy Chief stressed that commissioning a naval platform is only one part of capability creation, with the ultimate measure being how quickly and effectively the new vessel can be converted into operational capability.
With its advanced diving systems, dynamic positioning, rescue support and ability to operate the DSRV, INS Nipun is set to provide the Indian Navy with a specialised platform for some of the most technically demanding operations beneath the surface. Its induction further strengthens India’s underwater preparedness and its ability to contribute to submarine rescue, salvage and HADR missions across the Indian Ocean Region.
The ship’s motto, “Far Beneath, Few Beyond”, reflects the skill, endurance and specialised expertise required to operate in the challenging underwater domain.
