Hindustan Shipyard Limited delivered the second diving support vessel Nipun to the Indian Navy yesterday (30 July) at Visakhapatnam, marking a significant advancement in the country’s indigenous shipbuilding programme.
The vessel’s name derives from Sanskrit, signifying ‘one who is adept, capable, and well versed in a particular discipline’, reflecting its highly specialised capabilities for undertaking deep sea dive operations and rescue operations at sea.
The 118.4-metre-long vessel, which has a beam of 22.8 metres and displaces 9,350 tonnes, is built with nearly 75 percent Indigenous Content.
Nipun is equipped with state-of-the-art dive equipment and has the capability to undertake deep sea saturation diving, while a side diving stage has also been provided for undertaking diving operations.
Remotely operated vehicles further enhance the ship’s operational capabilities by facilitating diver monitoring and salvage operations.
The vessel’s primary function extends beyond diving support.
Nipun will also serve as the mother ship for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV), to evacuate personnel in case of an emergency in a submarine.
The Indian Navy will deploy the vessel to carry out deep sea diving operations along with search and rescue missions, sustained patrolling, and helicopter operations at sea.
The vessel has been designed and constructed in accordance with classification rules of the Indian Register of Shipping.
Nipun’s delivery is yet another milestone in the Indian Navy’s quest for indigenous shipbuilding upholding the Government’s vision of an ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ with nearly 75 per cent indigenous content.
Nipun is the second vessel in the Nistar class, following her sister ship INS Nistar which was delivered in July 2025 and commissioned on 18 July 2025.
The delivery marks a major step in bolstering the Indian Navy’s capabilities in the niche domain of deep sea dive operations.
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