Indian Navy's Second Underwater Diving Support Ship INS Nipun Enters Active Service to Strengthen Sub-Surface Operations
Summary
The Indian Navy officially commissioned INS Nipun, its second Diving Support Vessel, at Mumbai's Naval Dockyard on 31 August 2026, in a ceremony presided over by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan. The vessel was constructed by Hindustan Shipyard Limited at Visakhapatnam and delivered to the Navy on 30 July 2026, built in compliance with Indian Register of Shipping classification standards to meet international safety and operational benchmarks. INS Nipun is equipped with advanced deep-sea saturation diving systems, Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), and a side diving stage, enabling it to conduct complex underwater inspections, salvage missions, and diver support operations at significant depths. A particularly critical capability is the vessel's ability to serve as a mother ship for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV), significantly enhancing India's submarine emergency evacuation and rescue infrastructure. With approximately 75 percent indigenous content, the commissioning of INS Nipun reinforces India's Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and demonstrates the growing technological maturity of the country's domestic defence shipbuilding ecosystem.
Key Takeaways
- 1. **Enhanced Underwater Warfare Readiness:** INS Nipun significantly expands the Indian Navy's capacity to conduct deep-sea diving, underwater intervention, and salvage operations across its maritime areas of interest.
- 2. **Critical Submarine Rescue Capability:** The vessel's role as a mother ship for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) greatly strengthens India's submarine rescue infrastructure, improving emergency response preparedness for underwater contingencies.
- 3. **Advanced Technological Systems:** Equipped with saturation diving systems, ROVs, modern navigation, and precise station-keeping technology, INS Nipun represents a highly specialised and technologically sophisticated naval platform.
- 4. **Indigenous Defence Manufacturing Achievement:** With nearly 75 percent indigenous content built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited, the vessel is a strong testament to India's growing self-reliance in constructing complex and specialised military vessels under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.
- 5. **Strategic Maritime Dominance:** The induction of INS Nipun as the second dedicated Diving Support Vessel signals India's deliberate strategy to build layered underwater operational capabilities, reinforcing its position as a major maritime power in the Indo-Pacific region.