INS Nistar, India’s first indigenously built Diving Support Vessel, marks a major leap in deep-sea rescue capabilities and naval autonomy. Built by Hindustan Shipyard with advanced tech and over 75% local content, it reinforces India’s self-reliance and maritime strength.
The commissioning of INS Nistar marks a transformative milestone in India’s push for naval self-reliance, bolstering both maritime safety and underwater capabilities. INS Nistar is the first Diving Support Vessel (DSV) built by the Indian Navy under Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) classification regulations. It was designed and built domestically by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam. This achievement is closely aligned with the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision and the Make in India initiative, showcasing the nation’s technical prowess in advanced warship construction.
Design and Construction
A powerful platform designed for extremely specialised deep-sea activities is INS Nistar. Stretching nearly 120 meters in length and displacing over 10,000 tonnes, the vessel is equipped to operate independently at sea for more than 60 days without needing to return to port. Uniquely, over 75% of its content is indigenous, reflecting collaboration with more than 120 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and solidifying India’s rising stature as a shipbuilding hub.
Advanced Capabilities for Deep-Sea Mission
At the heart of INS Nistar’s value is its capacity for deep-sea saturation diving, enabling divers to work at depths up to 300 meters for prolonged periods under high-pressure conditions. The vessel is further equipped with a side diving stage for operations down to 75 meters, making it adaptable for a range of underwater missions. High-tech Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) enhance their capabilities, enabling underwater monitoring and salvage operations down to 1,000 meters—a rare feature among global navies.
Supporting these missions, INS Nistar hosts a suite of state-of-the-art diving and rescue systems, including:
Saturation diving systems for extended deep-sea work
Diving compression and decompression chambers for diver safety
An Integrated Dynamic Positioning System (DP-II), enabling precise maneuvering and position-keeping during critical underwater tasks, even in rough sea conditions
Nistar also carries a subsea crane (15-tonne capacity) for logistics, salvage, and subsea construction, as well as a side-scan SONAR for mapping the ocean floor. Its helicopter landing facility allows for rapid air deployment and emergency evacuations, further amplifying mission flexibility.
Submarine Rescue—A Force Multiplier
Perhaps most significant is Nistar’s pivotal role as the Mother Ship for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV), giving India robust submarine rescue capabilities. An operational advance that lessens dependency on outside aid in times of crisis is Nistar’s ability to use its DSRV to evacuate stranded submariners in the case of a submarine emergency. The ship can support DSRV missions, diver deployment, and recovery operations simultaneously, placing India among a select group of nations with indigenous underwater rescue capacity.
Medical and Crew Support
INS Nistar features advanced onboard medical facilities designed specifically for deep-sea contingencies: a dedicated operation theater, an intensive care unit, an 8-bed hospital, and hyperbaric chambers for treating divers recovering from extended exposure to high pressures. A Self-Propelled Hyperbaric Lifeboat (SPHL) provides an additional layer of crew safety during high-risk profiles.
Strategic Significance and Legacy
Nistar’s induction not only revives a legendary name—formerly used by a Soviet-origin rescue vessel decommissioned in 1989—but also ushers in a new era of strategic maritime autonomy. The ship, which is assigned to the Eastern Naval Command, significantly improves India’s coverage for deep-sea rescues around the eastern coast. As India asserts itself as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region and pursues its SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine, Nistar stands as a critical asset for both national defense and humanitarian operations.
From its indigenous construction and cutting-edge technology to its vital rescue role, INS Nistar cements India’s place among the world’s foremost maritime nations, advancing self-reliance and operational readiness at sea.
