On July 8, 2025, India achieved a major milestone in naval self-reliance with the delivery of INS Nistar—its first indigenously designed and built Diving Support Vessel (DSV). Built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), the 10,000-tonne vessel will play a crucial role in submarine rescue and deep-sea diving operations, enhancing the Indian Navy’s underwater capabilities.

Key Points:

• INS Nistar was handed over to the Indian Navy in Visakhapatnam by HSL, marking a significant leap in indigenous naval engineering.
• The 118-meter vessel supports saturation diving up to 300 meters and side-stage diving up to 75 meters.
• It will serve as a “mother ship” for Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles (DSRVs) and features ROVs for operations up to 1,000 meters depth.
• With 75% indigenous content, INS Nistar boosts India’s self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission.
• This is HSL’s second major warship after INS Dhruv, placing India among the select few nations with such advanced submarine rescue capability.