Overview
- India’s Submarine Rescue Unit embarked on INS Nistar took part in Exercise Pacific Reach (XPR-25) off Singapore from 15–25 September, which included shore and sea phases hosted by the Republic of Singapore Navy.
- The DSRV Tiger X conducted its first dives outside the Indian Ocean, mating with South Korea’s Shin Dol-Seok (S-082) and Singapore’s RSS Invincible, with reports noting three successful matings over three successive days.
- INS Nistar’s participation marked its first operational deployment after commissioning on 18 July, with the Hindustan Shipyard-built vessel serving as the dedicated mothership for DSRV and ROV operations.
- During the 25 September sea-phase culmination, INS Nistar localized and surveyed the simulated distressed submarine and relayed data to MV Swift Rescue and JS Chiyoda, enabling a coordinated three-asset rescue that achieved mating within an hour.
- India operates two DSRV systems acquired in 2016 from James Fisher Defence with Transfer Under Pressure facilities and launch-recovery gear, and INS Nistar is assigned to the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam.