INS Nistar joins Indian Navy: Can India’s first indigenous deep-sea rescue ship change the game?

The Indian Navy is set to formally commission INS Nistar, its first-ever fully indigenous Diving Support Vessel (DSV) on Friday (July 18, 2025), at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam in a ceremony.

Developed and constructed by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), this advanced platform is a major milestone in India’s pursuit of maritime self-sufficiency and strategic underwater capability, reinforcing the goals of the Make in India initiative.

Delivered to the Navy earlier this month, the induction of INS Nistar marks a generational leap in India’s naval infrastructure, with the ship poised to serve as a cornerstone in submarine rescue, underwater operations and deep-sea diving missions in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

What we know about INS Nistar

INS Nistar is a highly specialised platform engineered for complex underwater missions, including saturation diving, rescue of submariners, salvage, underwater inspections, and search and recovery of sunken assets.

The vessel is equipped to function in demanding maritime conditions, and its capabilities reflect the increasing requirement for sovereign underwater infrastructure amidst evolving security challenges.

According to the Indian Navy, the vessel has been constructed adhering to the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) standards.

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Nistar - Roles & Capabilities

As #IndianNavy prepares to commission the first Nistar-Class Diving Support Vessel, here is a glimpse of her role enhancing capabilities.

Equipped with cutting-edge Deep Sea Diving Systems, #Nistar strengthens our operational capability and stands… https://t.co/xRN3fRZo6e pic.twitter.com/omrhTND1qM

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) July 15, 2025

Its hull measures approximately 118.4 metres in length with a beam of 22.8 metres, and the ship displaces between 9,350 and 10,000 tonnes, depending on its load configuration.

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Powered by two diesel engines, INS Nistar can cruise at 14 knots and stay operational at sea for over 60 days without needing to dock — a critical feature for prolonged rescue or recovery operations.

Beyond its endurance and range, the ship can accommodate over 200 personnel, allowing it to function as a command and operations hub during emergencies.

How INS Nistar is unique

INS Nistar features a range of onboard systems that make it capable of supporting Deep Sea Saturation Diving up to 300 metres and Side Diving up to 75 metres.

This makes it uniquely positioned among a select group of navies globally with the ability to carry out such operations independently.

One of its central functions will be to operate as the “Mother Ship” for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) — a deployable mini-submarine used to extract personnel from stricken submarines at depths of up to 1,000 metres.

This system is further supported by Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) used for monitoring, inspection, and retrieval tasks, even in challenging underwater conditions.

The ship is also fitted with a dynamic positioning system (DP2) to hold its position with high accuracy during sensitive underwater procedures.

A 15-tonne subsea crane enables the lifting of heavy underwater objects or debris, and a side scan SONAR enhances its capacity to detect and identify targets or wreckage beneath the ocean floor.

The vessel’s diving complex is among the most advanced ever constructed in India, with hyperbaric medical systems, a six-person decompression chamber, a moonpool for safe diver deployment, and a self-propelled hyperbaric lifeboat — all essential for long-duration diving and emergency evacuation.

These capabilities provide the Indian Navy with the ability to carry out full-spectrum underwater operations ranging from combat recovery to peacetime salvage.

INS Nistar also features a medical infrastructure

INS Nistar houses one of the most robust onboard medical setups in the Indian Navy. It includes an operating theatre (OT), an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and an eight-bed hospital, supported by life-support systems tailored for deep-diving emergencies.

This infrastructure ensures that the vessel can provide real-time treatment for decompression sickness, injuries, or trauma sustained during high-risk operations at sea.

Additionally, the ship comes with a helicopter deck situated ahead of the superstructure, which can accommodate aircraft weighing up to 15 tonnes.

This allows it to coordinate helicopter-based search and rescue operations, replenishment at sea, and rapid transfer of casualties during crisis scenarios.

For self-defence, INS Nistar is fitted with two AK-630 30mm close-in weapon systems (CIWS) — rapid-fire autocannons designed to intercept aerial and missile threats.

The original INS Nistar

INS Nistar inherits its name from an earlier submarine rescue vessel operated by the Indian Navy. The original INS Nistar, acquired from the former USSR in 1969, was inducted into service in 1971 and remained operational until 1989.

🕰️ #Nistar – A Timeless Journey

From her commissioning in 1971 as India’s first submarine rescue vessel to her reincarnation as a state-of-the-art platform — Nistar is a living legacy.
🎞️ Watch the story of Nistar — then and now.

🗓️Commissioning on 18 July 2025.… pic.twitter.com/jIYFCv3UU5

— IN (@IndiannavyMedia) July 14, 2025

That vessel played an instrumental role during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, especially in the aftermath of the sinking of the Pakistani submarine PNS Ghazi.

The modern-day reincarnation of Nistar carries forward that legacy, albeit with significantly enhanced capabilities.

The Indian Navy stated in an official post, “The name of the ship ‘Nistar’ in Sanskrit translates to rendering rescue. The crest depicts an ‘anchor’ which traditionally symbolises reliability and faith. While the ‘dolphin’ is universally regarded as a seafarer’s friend and a harbinger of fair weather.”

Its motto, ‘Surakshita Yatharthta Shauryam’, meaning ‘Deliverance with Precision and Bravery’, reflects the ship’s mission of safeguarding life through exacting and courageous underwater operations.

Built entirely in India by the state-owned Hindustan Shipyard Limited, INS Nistar represents one of the most ambitious naval construction projects undertaken domestically.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the vessel contains more than 80 per cent indigenous content, with inputs from over 120 Indian MSMEs, showcasing the strength of India’s defence industrial base.

“The project is a step towards realising the Indian Navy’s vision of designing and constructing complex indigenous platforms,” the Ministry stated.

The Indian Navy frequently undertakes underwater inspections, recovery of sunken ships or aircraft, and diving-based search and rescue missions.

These require platforms capable of extended operations, precision station-holding, and rapid deployment of divers and rescue assets.

The addition of INS Nistar — alongside its sister ship INS Nipun — dramatically increases the Navy’s capacity to meet these operational requirements with autonomy and efficiency.

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With inputs from agencies