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Overview
INS Nistar marks a pivotal milestone in India’s journey toward self-reliance in advanced naval technologies. Commissioned on July 18, 2025, in Visakhapatnam, this Diving Support Vessel (DSV) represents the Indian Navy’s strategic leap in submarine rescue and deep-sea operations. Built indigenously by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), INS Nistar reflects India’s growing competence in undersea domain awareness (UDA), rescue capabilities, and maritime diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific region.
What is INS Nistar?
INS Nistar is a specialized naval vessel purpose-built for deep-sea diving, submarine rescue, and salvage operations. Acting as a mother ship for a Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV), it provides rapid response capabilities to save submariners during emergencies. Its high endurance, dynamic positioning system, and onboard medical facilities make it a multi-role underwater rescue platform with strategic relevance beyond national boundaries.
Historical Legacy
The name Nistar carries a legacy:
- The original INS Nistar (1971) was a Soviet-origin submarine rescue ship with a displacement of 800 tonnes, operational until 1989.
- The new INS Nistar, displacing over 10,500 tonnes, is indigenously designed and built, representing a generational leap in capability and design philosophy.
Design and Construction
- Builder: Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam
- Project Initiation: 2018
- Launch Date: 2023
- Commissioning Date: July 18, 2025
- Sister Ship: INS Nipun (launched 2022, based in Mumbai)
- Indigenous Content: Over 80%
- MSME Involvement: Around 120 small enterprises participated
This project supports Aatmanirbhar Bharat, making it a showcase for India’s naval manufacturing ecosystem.
Technical Specifications
| Attribute | Specification |
|---|---|
| Type | Diving Support Vessel (DSV) |
| Displacement | ~10,500 tonnes |
| Length | ~120 meters |
| Beam (width) | ~20 meters |
| Endurance | Over 60 days at sea |
| Speed | High transit speed for emergency deployments |
| Power Generation | 13 MW |
| Dynamic Positioning | DP2 class system |
| Subsea Crane | 15-tonne capacity |
| Heli-deck | Supports helicopter operations |
| Onboard Hospital | ICU, OT, 8-bed ward with hyperbaric chambers |
Key Capabilities
1. Submarine Rescue Operations
- Equipped to serve as the host vessel for DSRV operations.
- India operates two James Fisher DSRVs, capable of operating at depths up to 650 meters.
- The DSRV can be airlifted and mated with INS Nistar, allowing deployment in both Indian and friendly foreign waters.
2. Deep-Sea Diving Support
- Features saturation diving systems for continuous underwater work at depths up to 300 meters.
- Includes open-bottom diving bells, side-stage diving systems, and decompression chambers.
3. Underwater Surveillance and Recovery
- Equipped with Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) for unmanned underwater inspection.
- Side Scan Sonar for mapping the seabed and locating wreckage.
- Ideal for operations like mine clearance, hull inspections, and aircraft/submarine wreck recovery.
4. Medical and Evacuation Capabilities
- Medical bay includes hyperbaric oxygen therapy, essential for treating decompression sickness.
- Onboard helipad for rapid casualty evacuation.
Strategic Role and Regional Importance
1. Maritime Diplomacy and First-Responder Role
- One of the few navies globally with mobile submarine rescue capabilities.
- Can support regional navies under international submarine rescue partnerships.
- Contributes to India’s stature as a net maritime security provider in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
2. Enhancing Undersea Domain Awareness
- INS Nistar aids in oceanographic surveys, seabed mapping, and sub-surface asset recovery.
- Critical in strategic chokepoints like the Strait of Malacca and Andaman Sea, where submarine activity is dense.
Similar Systems Worldwide
| Country | Vessel/System | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| USA | USNS Safeguard (ARS-50 class, retired), now using Fly-Away DSRVs | Modular, air-deployable rescue systems used with commercial support ships |
| UK | DSRV via James Fisher Defence | India operates this same system |
| Russia | Igor Belousov (Project 21300) | Full-fledged DSV with rescue bells, ROVs, diving complex |
| China | Type 926 Submarine Support Ship | Carries rescue submersibles; dual-use for salvage and underwater repair |
| South Korea | Cheonghaejin Class | Supports rescue operations; equipped with DSRVs and divers |
| Australia | Submarine Escape Rescue and Abandonment System (SERAS) | Modular system with global deployment capability |
| Singapore | MV Swift Rescue (operated by James Fisher Defence) | Regional rescue support with NATO-compatible interface |
India’s INS Nistar joins this elite list, but with enhanced regional coverage and a unique role as a bilateral and multilateral support provider in undersea emergencies.
Technology Insight: Saturation Diving and DSRVs
Saturation Diving System
- Used when divers need to work at depth for extended durations.
- Divers live in a pressurized habitat onboard and are transferred via a pressurized bell.
- Prevents decompression sickness by limiting the number of times divers decompress.
Dynamic Positioning (DP2)
- Allows the vessel to stay exactly over a point in rough seas using computer-controlled propellers.
- Vital during rescue operations when the DSRV is mating with a distressed submarine.
Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV)
- Operates up to 650 meters depth.
- Carries up to 17 rescued crew per trip.
- Compatible with NATO-standard rescue hatches and Indian submarines alike.
Significance for India and Future Outlook
INS Nistar is more than a naval asset; it is a strategic tool that:
- Enhances interoperability with friendly navies
- Increases India’s ability to secure critical sea lanes
- Projects India’s capability to support UN and humanitarian missions
- Supports India’s Quad partners and IOR alliances in naval contingencies
Looking ahead, India’s investment in vessels like INS Nistar and INS Nipun reflects its long-term vision to build a blue-water navy with robust underwater logistics, rescue, and support capability.
Conclusion
INS Nistar is a defining milestone in India’s quest for underwater dominance, built not only with steel and circuits but also with decades of experience, foresight, and collaboration. It embodies technological self-reliance, regional security leadership, and a humane mission—to save lives beneath the waves.
Sources:
- Press Information Bureau, Government of India
- Indian Navy Statements
- The Indian Express (Defense Section)
- Global Naval Reference Sources (JFD, Naval-Technology, Naval News)