Maharashtra: Navy Adds New Underwater Operations Vessel
INS Nipun is a purpose-built platform designed primarily for deep-sea diving and underwater operations: Reports
MUMBAI: The Indian Navy on Monday commissioned INS Nipun, the second Diving Support Vessel (DSV) of the Nistar Class, at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, marking a significant enhancement of the Navy’s deep-sea diving, underwater intervention and submarine rescue capabilities.
INS Nipun is a purpose-built platform designed primarily for deep-sea diving and underwater operations. The vessel can support saturation diving to 300 metres and is configured to embark and operate the Navy’s deep submergence rescue vehicle.
Indigenously designed and constructed by Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam, INS Nipun is a significant addition to the Indian Navy’s specialist underwater capability. The ship is capable of supporting saturation, air and heliox diving and is equipped with remotely operated underwater systems for inspection and intervention. Her specialised diving complex, dynamic positioning capability and associated life-support and medical facilities enable sustained and complex operations at sea.
According to Navy officials, INS Nipun is also capable of supporting submarine rescue operations, significantly strengthening the Indian Navy’s ability to respond to underwater contingencies. Along with her sister ship INS Nistar, the ship substantially enhances the Navy’s specialist capability in diving, underwater intervention, salvage and submarine rescue.
Addressing the commissioning ceremony, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Chief of the Naval Staff, highlighted that maritime threats are constantly changing and becoming more complex, making preparedness a top priority for the Navy.
He said the maritime environment is becoming increasingly contested. He noted that threat perceptions are evolving continuously and appearing in new forms, creating fresh challenges for navies around the world. According to the Navy Chief, India must remain prepared for both current and future threats by building strong and credible capabilities.
Swaminathan emphasised that combat readiness remains the Indian Navy’s highest priority amidst an increasingly contested maritime environment and growing threats to global maritime highways. He noted that, based on the West Coast under the Western Naval Command, INS Nipun will be a powerful addition to the specialised underwater capabilities required to sustain multi-domain operations.
The ship’s motto is ‘Far Beneath, Few Beyond,’ reflecting the resolve, skill and endurance required to operate in one of the most challenging domains of the maritime environment, officials said.
