The Indian Navy officially commissioned its second indigenously designed and constructed Nistar-class Diving Support Vessel (DSV), INS Nipun, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. Engineered with over 80 percent indigenous content, the advanced warship represents a major milestone in India's naval self-reliance drive. INS Nipun is built to execute complex deep-sea rescue missions, submarine recovery operations, off-shore patrol duties, and underwater surveillance across strategic maritime zones. Equipped with deep-submergence rescue vehicles, dynamic positioning systems, and specialized hyperbaric medical facilities, the vessel significantly enhances the Navy's operational capabilities in the Indian Ocean region. Senior naval commanders and defense officials highlighted at the commissioning ceremony that integrating state-of-the-art domestic diving support technology strengthens coastal security, expands search-and-rescue preparedness, and reinforces India's posture as a key maritime safety provider across regional international waters. Commissioning Ceremony Marks Major Deep-Sea Subsurface Capability AdditionThe Indian Navy officially commissioned INS Nipun, the second Diving Support Vessel (DSV) of the Nistar-class, at a formal ceremony held at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. Indigenously designed and constructed by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam, the platform arrived following extensive sea trials and formal handover to the Navy. Addressing senior defense leadership during the induction, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan highlighted that INS Nipun provides a critical operational boost to the Western Naval Command, enabling complex underwater intervention, deep-sea exploration, and submarine search-and-rescue support across India’s maritime areas of interest. Specifications and Operational Capabilities of INS NipunParameterSpecifications & Platform DetailsVessel Class & TypeNistar-class Diving Support Vessel (DSV)ShipbuilderHindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), VisakhapatnamIndigenization Level~75% indigenous content (under Make in India initiative)Primary CapabilitiesSaturation diving, side diving, ROV operations, deep-sea salvageSpecialized RoleMother ship for Deep Submergence Rescue Vessels (DSRV)Station Keeping & ControlDynamic Positioning (DP-2) and modern integrated platform managementAdvanced Saturation Diving and Submarine Rescue FeaturesPurpose-built to operate in demanding marine environments, INS Nipun is equipped with state-of-the-art saturation diving systems that allow divers to work safely at extreme depths for prolonged durations. The ship features specialized side-diving stages, hyperbaric medical recompression chambers, and integrated Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) launch suites for deep-sea salvage and underwater monitoring. Crucially, the vessel is engineered to function as a mother ship for the Indian Navy's Deep Submergence Rescue Vessels (DSRVs), facilitating emergency deployment and evacuation operations for distressed submarines in deep ocean waters. Strengthening Indigenous Naval Defense ManufacturingThe induction of INS Nipun completes the pair of Nistar-class DSVs ordered by the Ministry of Defence, following the commissioning of lead ship INS Nistar. With over 75 percent indigenous content achieved through heavy reliance on domestic equipment manufacturers and vendors, the project reflects the technical evolution of India's defense shipbuilding ecosystem. By reducing reliance on foreign specialized platforms, INS Nipun gives the Indian Navy a self-reliant, dedicated capability to safeguard underwater infrastructure, conduct critical subsurface interventions, and lead humanitarian and rescue operations across the Indian Ocean Region.