Overview
- The Indian Navy formally commissioned INS Nipun at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on Monday with Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan presiding and the ship delivered by Hindustan Shipyard on July 30.
- INS Nipun is a purpose‑built Diving Support Vessel that can support saturation diving to about 300 metres and serve as the mothership for the Navy’s Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV), the specialised submersible used to evacuate crew from a distressed submarine.
- The ship carries specialist systems for underwater intervention, including dynamic positioning for precise station‑keeping, a 15‑tonne subsea crane, deep‑rated ROVs and a dedicated medical complex with an eight‑bed hospital, ICU, operating theatre and hyperbaric chambers.
- The vessel will be based with Western Naval Command to mirror sister ship INS Nistar on the east, giving India geographic coverage for faster regional response and the ability to support partner navies in submarine rescue and salvage missions.
- Commissioning is an initial milestone and the Navy emphasised that rapid integration, crew training, sea trials and exercises with the DSRV are next steps before INS Nipun can reach full operational readiness.