‘NISTAR’ First Indigenous Diving Support Vessel delivers to Indian Navy

(Forelines) – On July 8, 2025, Hindustan Shipyard Limited delivered ‘Nistar’, the first diving support vessel built and developed in India, to the Indian Navy in Visakhapatnam, India’s Ministry of Defense Said in a Statement.

The Indian Register of Shipping’s (IRS) classification guidelines were followed in the design and construction of the warship. Due to its high level of specialization, the ship can do rescue operations and deep sea diving, something that only a few ships worldwide are able to do.

The Sanskrit name for the ship, “Nistar,” implies “freedom,” “rescue,” or “salvation.” Equipped with cutting-edge diving equipment, the 118-meter vessel, which has a tonnage of around 10,000 tons, can conduct Deep Sea Saturation Diving down to a depth of 300 meters. In order to conduct diving operations down to a depth of 75 meters, the ship also features a Side Diving Stage.

In the event of a submarine emergency, the ship will also act as the “Mother Ship” for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV), which will rescue and evacuate personnel. To conduct salvage and diver monitoring operations down to 1000 meters, the ship is outfitted with a variety of remotely operated vehicles.

In keeping with the GoI’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision and the Made in India campaign, the delivery of Nistar, which has around 75% indigenous content, marks yet another significant milestone in the Indian Navy’s pursuit of indigenous building.