INS Nipun will significantly enhance the Navy’s niche underwater capabilities required for multi-domain operations, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan said on Monday. He emphasised that this dedicated Diving Support and Submarine Rescue Vessel adds specialised capability for complex underwater operations and to respond to emergencies in one of the world’s most “challenging and mysterious environments”.

The Navy Chief was speaking at the commissioning ceremony of INS Nipun in Mumbai. Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, other senior naval officers, representatives from Hindustan Shipyard Ltd., Visakhapatnam, among others, were present.

INS Nipun is the second Diving Support Vessel (DSV) of the Nistar Class and is a strong addition to the Navy’s deep-sea diving and underwater support capabilities.

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“We are living through a period of significant strategic churn. The maritime environment is becoming increasingly contested, and the threat perceptions are constantly evolving and morphing into newer forms,” Admiral Swaminathan said.

He noted that while it may not always be possible to predict the exact nature of the threats India will face at any given time, it is critical to stay prepared for anticipated threats and build robust capabilities to tackle these challenges effectively, wherever they may arise.

He said the addition of this capability will enable the Western Naval Command to strengthen its capabilities to operate above, on, and beneath the waves.

Stating that the vessel brings together a range of capabilities possessed by only a handful of navies, which includes the ability to embark the Indian Navy’s deep submergence rescue vessel, he said submarine rescue is a discipline where preparedness admits little margin for delay.

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“Nipun’s ability to embark and operate the Indian Navy’s Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel significantly enhances our capacity to respond to a distressed submarine quite significantly — whether our own, or that of a partner Navy. This capability would also enable India to support submarine rescue and emerge as the ‘preferred submarine rescue partner’ in the region,” he said.

He added that the vessel’s specialised diving capabilities can support partner nations in underwater salvage and HADR missions, adding another dimension to the Navy’s maritime cooperation efforts.

He said the Western Naval Command will now have to integrate INS Nipun fully into operational plans, exercise her capabilities rigorously, develop proficiency around her systems, and ensure that the ship is ready at the earliest for every task at sea.

INS Nipun is capable of supporting saturation, air and heliox diving and is equipped with remotely operated underwater systems for inspection and intervention. Its specialised diving complex, dynamic positioning capability and associated life-support and medical facilities enable the conduct of sustained and complex operations at sea.