News Brief

Indian Navy Commissions First Indigenous Diving Support Vessel ‘Nistar’

Arzoo Yadav

Jul 19, 2025, 02:48 PM | Updated 02:48 PM IST


INS Nistar, India’s first indigenous Diving Support Vessel, stands ready at the Visakhapatnam naval dockyard. (Pic Via X)
INS Nistar, India’s first indigenous Diving Support Vessel, stands ready at the Visakhapatnam naval dockyard. (Pic Via X)

In a significant step towards defence indigenisation, the Indian Navy has commissioned its first indigenous Diving Support Vessel (DSV), Nistar, built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), at Visakhapatnam, reported Times Of India.

The commissioning ceremony was held at the naval base in Visakhapatnam and was presided over by Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, alongside Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi.

Pushing Aatmanirbharta in Defence

Designed and developed with over 80 per cent indigenous content, Nistar marks a major milestone in India's self-reliance efforts.

The Navy stated that the vessel is a statement to India's ability to build complex ships, at par with international standards.

Powerful Design and Capabilities

Nistar measures 119.7 metres in length, with a beam of 22.8 metres and a displacement of 10,578 tonnes.

It can reach speeds up to 18 knots and houses 215 crew members.

The ship is equipped for saturation diving up to 300 metres and supports deep-sea rescue missions.

It carries two Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) for underwater operations and features a Self-Propelled Hyperbaric Lifeboat (SPHL) for emergency evacuation.

Legacy and Meaning

The name Nistar, derived from Sanskrit, means “liberation” or “rescue”. It revives the legacy of a previous vessel that recovered critical documents from the sunken Pakistani submarine Ghazi during the 1971 war. That earlier Nistar was decommissioned in 1989.

Symbol of Strength

The crest of Nistar features an anchor and dolphin, representing maritime stability and underwater operations. Its motto: Deliverance with Precision and Bravery, embodies the ship’s mission in supporting the Navy’s deep-sea and rescue capabilities.

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