What happened?
The Indian Navy commissioned INS Nistar, the country’s first indigenously designed and built Diving Support Vessel, at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam. The vessel significantly enhances the Navy’s deep-sea rescue capabilities and serves as the ‘Mother Ship’ for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV), enabling evacuation during underwater contingencies.
Why it matters to India
INS Nistar represents a major milestone in India’s indigenous defence manufacturing, involving 120 MSMEs and 80% indigenous equipment. It boosts India’s maritime rescue and operational strength, continuing the legacy of the original Nistar that played a key role in the 1971 Indo-Pak war by detecting the Pakistani submarine Ghazi. With advanced features like Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) for deep diving up to 1000 meters and a 15-ton subsea crane, the ship enhances India’s position as a capable and self-reliant maritime power.