Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh): The Indian Navy is set to commission Nistar, the country's first indigenously designed and built Diving Support Vessel, at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam on Friday, in the presence of Union Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth.In a post on X, SpokespersonNavy stated, "#Nistar - India's first indigenously designed & constructed Diving Support Vessel, to be commissioned into to the #IndianNavy today, #18Jul 25, in presence of Hon'ble Raksha Rajya Mantri, Shri@SethSanjayMP."'Nistar', the first indigenously designed and constructed Diving Support Vessel, was delivered by Hindustan Shipyard Limited to the Indian Navy on July 8, 2025, at Visakhapatnam.The warship has been designed and built as per the classification rules of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS).According to an official statement, the ship is a testament to the Government of India's resolute focus on nation-building through self-reliance in defence production and unwavering focus on Aatmanirbharta. A total of 120 MSMEs have participated in the construction of this ambitious, unique and state-of-the-art vessel, achieving more than 80 per cent indigenous content. The ship is highly specialised and can undertake Deep-Sea Diving and Rescue Operations, a capability held by select Navies across the globe.
The ship's name, 'Nistar', originates from Sanskrit and means liberation, rescue or salvation. The ship, measuring 118 m in length with a tonnage of nearly 10,000 tons, is equipped with state-of-the-art Diving Equipment and has the capability to undertake Deep saturation diving up to a depth of 300 m. The ship also features a Side Diving Stage for conducting diving operations up to a depth of 75 m.The ship will also serve as the 'Mother Ship' for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV), to rescue and evacuate personnel, in case of an emergency in a submarine underwater. The ship is equipped with a combination of Remotely Operated Vehicles to undertake Diver Monitoring and Salvage Operations up to a depth of 1000 m.In her earlier avatar, ex-Nistar was a submarine rescue vessel acquired by the Indian Navy from the former USSR in 1969 and commissioned in 1971. Over the course of her two decades of service, she made significant contributions to the Indian Navy's diving and submarine rescue operations.With the commissioning of this ship, the legacy of ex-Nistar continues onwards, with her motto 'Surakshita Yatharthta Shauryam' translating to 'Deliverance with Precision and Bravery', aptly reflecting the main roles of the ship.