India's first indigenous diving support vessel 'Nistar' to be commissioned next week in presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) In a significant stride towards self-reliance in the Defence sector, the Indian Navy is all set to commission the first of the class Diving Support Vessel (DSV) 'Nistar' at Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam on July 18 in the presence of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Navy Spokesperson said on Thursday in a statement.

The event marks the formal induction of the ship which has been indigenously designed and constructed by M/s Hindustan Shipyard Limited in Visakhapatnam.

On commissioning, the ship will join the Eastern Naval Command to support deep sea diving and submarine rescue operations.

The ship is a testament to the government's resolute focus on nation building through self-reliance in defence production and unwavering focus on 'Aatmanirbharta'.

"A total of 120 MSMEs have participated in the construction of this ambitious, unique and state-of-the-art vessel, achieving more than 80 per cent indigenous content. The project is a step towards realising the Indian Navy's vision of designing and constructing complex indigenous platforms," said a Navy spokesperson. ⁠

In her earlier avatar ex-Nistar, was a submarine rescue vessel which was acquired by the Indian Navy from the erstwhile Soviet Union in 1969 and commissioned in 1971.

"In two decades of service, she had significantly contributed towards the Indian Navy's diving and submarine rescue operations," a statement said.

Received by the Indian Navy on July 8 at Visakhapatnam, the vessel is designed in line with the classification standards of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) and it showcases cutting-edge Indian engineering, underscoring the Navy's continued push towards home-grown capabilities under the 'Make in India' initiative.

With a length of 118 metres and a displacement of nearly 10,000 tonnes, Nistar is equipped to conduct deep sea diving and submarine rescue operations -- a complex capability possessed by only a handful of navies worldwide.

Named after the Sanskrit word 'Nistar', meaning liberation or rescue, the ship is fitted with advanced diving systems that enable saturation diving up to 300 metres, as well as a side diving stage for missions up to 75 metres.

With an endurance of more than 60 days at sea, capacity to undertake stage through helicopter operations and a 15-ton subsea crane make the ship a very versatile platform.

Importantly, the vessel is designed to serve as the 'Mother Ship' for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel, enabling swift personnel evacuation and submarine rescue during underwater emergencies.

To support complex underwater missions, Nistar is equipped with Remotely Operated Vehicles capable of conducting diver monitoring and salvage operations up to 1,000 metres in depth.

The induction of Nistar significantly enhances the Navy's sub-surface operational capabilities, particularly in submarine rescue and critical underwater recovery missions.

Beyond its operational strengths, the vessel also reinforces India's Defence manufacturing ecosystem, combining indigenous shipbuilding prowess with strategic naval utility.

--IANS

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