In News:

In a significant stride towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the Indian Navy has inducted INS Nistar, its first indigenously designed and built Diving Support Vessel (DSV). Developed by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam, INS Nistar enhances India’s capabilities in deep-sea rescue, submarine emergency response, and underwater operations, placing India among a select group of nations with such advanced maritime assets.

Key Features and Capabilities

• Size and Endurance:
  • Length: ~118–120 meters
  • Displacement: Over 10,000 tonnes
  • Endurance: Capable of operating for over 60 days at sea
• Diving and Rescue Capabilities:
  • Equipped for saturation diving up to 300 meters and side diving stage operations up to 75 meters
  • Integrated with Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) for diver monitoring and salvage missions up to 1000 meters below sea level
  • Serves as the Mother Ship for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV), crucial for submarine crew evacuation in emergencies
• Medical and Operational Infrastructure:
  • Includes an 8-bed hospital, ICU, operation theatre, and hyperbaric chambers for diver treatment and recovery
  • Fitted with a 15-tonne subsea crane, helicopter landing deck, and Side Scan SONAR for multi-role logistics and salvage operations
• Navigation and Control: Integrated Dynamic Positioning System (DPS) ensures precision during complex underwater missions

Indigenous Content and Industrial Participation

• Indigenous Content: Approximately 75–80%
• Over 120 Indian MSMEs contributed to the vessel’s construction
• Compliant with Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) classification standards

Strategic and Symbolic Significance

• Bridges critical capability gaps in submarine rescue, deep-sea salvage, and maritime disaster response
• Strengthens India’s strategic posture in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), ensuring rapid and self-reliant response to undersea emergencies
• Reinforces India’s position as an emerging blue water navy
• Symbolically revives the legacy of the erstwhile Soviet-origin INS Nistar (commissioned in 1971), reaffirming continuity and progress in naval capabilities