What happened?
On 14 September 2025, the Indian Navy’s indigenously designed and constructed Diving Support Vessel INS Nistar and Submarine Rescue Unit (East) made their maiden port call at Changi Naval Base, Singapore, to participate in the biennial Exercise Pacific Reach 2025. The Navy further stated that personnel from the Republic of Singapore Navy and staff from the High Commission of India in Singapore extended a warm welcome to INS Nistar and SRU (East) on their first visit to the country.
Why it matters to India
INS Nistar was commissioned at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam on 18 July 2025, marking India’s first indigenously designed and built Diving Support Vessel. Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth called the commissioning a proud moment for the nation. The vessel, delivered by Hindustan Shipyard Limited, has nearly 75 percent indigenous content and was built according to Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) classification rules. INS Nistar is equipped with advanced diving equipment, capable of deep sea saturation diving up to 300 m and side diving operations up to 75 m. It also serves as the mothership for Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles (DSRV) and carries Remotely Operated Vehicles for diver monitoring and salvage operations up to 1,000 m depth. The vessel strengthens the Indian Navy’s indigenisation efforts under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.