What is INS Nipun?
INS Nipun is the Indian Navy’s second Diving Support Vessel (DSV) of the Nistar class.
It was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 31 August 2026 at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.
The ship has been indigenously designed and constructed by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam.
Its induction strengthens India’s specialised capabilities in:
- deep-sea diving;
- underwater intervention;
- submarine rescue;
- salvage operations;
- support to divers operating at great depths.
INS Nipun follows INS Nistar, the first ship of the class.
Major Capabilities
INS Nipun is a purpose-built platform for complex underwater operations.
Its major capabilities include:
- saturation diving, which allows divers to remain at high pressure for extended periods;
- air and heliox diving;
- remotely operated underwater vehicles for inspection and intervention;
- underwater salvage and repair;
- diver monitoring;
- medical and life-support facilities;
- dynamic positioning, enabling the ship to maintain a precise position during underwater operations.
A particularly important role is submarine rescue.
INS Nipun can operate as a mother ship for the Indian Navy’s Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV).
A DSRV can be deployed to reach a disabled submarine and evacuate trapped personnel from great depths.
This gives India a specialised rescue capability possessed by only a limited number of navies.
Why Diving Support Vessels Matter
Modern submarines can operate at substantial depths, and a submarine accident presents unique rescue challenges.
A specialised Diving Support Vessel provides:
- stable operational support at sea;
- pressure-controlled diving systems;
- decompression facilities;
- underwater communication;
- medical support;
- deployment of rescue and remotely operated vehicles.
Such ships are also useful for:
- inspection of underwater hulls;
- recovery of submerged objects;
- repair of subsea infrastructure;
- search-and-rescue operations;
- underwater wreck investigation.
Therefore, a DSV is not merely a support ship; it forms part of a navy’s underwater safety and operational resilience architecture.
Indigenisation and Strategic Significance
INS Nipun has around 75% indigenous content, reflecting India’s push towards Atmanirbharta in defence shipbuilding.
Its construction demonstrates domestic capability in technologically demanding areas such as:
- specialised diving systems;
- ship-based life-support;
- underwater robotics;
- precise station-keeping;
- submarine rescue support.
Strategically, the ship strengthens the Indian Navy’s ability to operate in the Indian Ocean Region, where underwater activity is becoming increasingly important.
It also enhances India’s ability to assist friendly foreign navies during submarine emergencies, supporting India’s role as a maritime security partner and first responder in the region.
Nistar-Class Significance
The Nistar-class consists of specialised Diving Support Vessels designed to expand India’s deep-sea operational capability.
Their broader role includes:
- deep-sea diving;
- submarine rescue;
- underwater maintenance;
- salvage;
- deployment of DSRVs and remotely operated systems.
INS Nipun therefore represents a shift from basic naval support towards high-end underwater intervention capability.
Its commissioning is significant in the context of:
- expansion of India’s submarine fleet;
- growing undersea competition in the Indian Ocean;
- protection of subsea assets;
- maritime search and rescue;
- defence indigenisation.
INS Nipun is thus best understood as a specialised underwater operations and submarine-rescue platform that strengthens both operational readiness and maritime self-reliance of the Indian Navy.
