What's special about deep-sea diving vessel INS Nipun commissioned today
What's the story
The Indian Navy has commissioned INS Nipun, its second indigenous Nistar-class Diving Support Vessel (DSV), at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. The vessel was commissioned by Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Chief of Naval Staff. With this commissioning, the Western fleet now has a dedicated diving support vessel to complement its sister ship INS Nistar, which has been operational with the Eastern Naval Command since July last year.
Indigenous engineering
Built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited
INS Nipun was built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited in Visakhapatnam and was handed over to the Navy on July 30 after an extensive round of outfitting and sea trials.
The contract for both vessels was signed with HSL in September 2018 for around ₹2,393 crore. The keels for Nistar and Nipun were laid in December 2019 and March 2020, respectively.
"Nipun" is a Sanskrit term meaning one who is adept at something.
Vessel features
Can support saturation diving operations up to 300 meters deep
INS Nipun is approximately 118 meters long and displaces over 8,500 tons.
The ship has nearly 75% indigenous content, showcasing India's growing capacity to design and build advanced naval platforms.
It can support saturation diving operations up to 300 meters deep and side-stage diving operations up to 75 meters deep.
This makes it suitable for submarine rescue as well as inspection, maintenance, and repair of vital underwater infrastructure like subsea cables and pipelines.
Rescue mission
Role as a mother ship for deep submergence rescue vehicles
A key aspect of INS Nipun is its role as a mothership for Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles.
These specialized submersibles can attach to a distressed submarine's escape hatch to rescue trapped crew members during emergencies.
The ship also has an eight-bed hospital, ICU, operating theater, and hyperbaric medical facilities to deal with deep-sea diving-related medical issues.
Strategic importance
'We are living today through period of significant strategic churn'
Admiral Swaminathan said during the commissioning that "we are living today through a period of significant strategic churn; the maritime environment is becoming increasingly contested."
He added that "the threat perception is constantly evolving, manifesting in newer forms of challenge and complexity."
With INS Nistar having tested this rescue architecture during Exercise Pacific Reach off Singapore last September, INS Nipun's induction gives the navy a truly two-coast submarine rescue and deep-sea intervention capability for the first time.