New Delhi: Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) has delivered the Diving Support Vessel (DSV) Nipun to the Indian Navy, marking another major milestone in India’s indigenous defence shipbuilding programme. The delivery is expected to strengthen the country’s underwater strategic capabilities and enhance the Navy’s readiness for specialised maritime operations.
The delivery of Nipun comes nearly a year after HSL handed over INS Nistar to the Indian Navy, further demonstrating the shipyard’s capability to design and build complex strategic naval platforms under the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Acceptance Document for DSV Nipun Signed
The formal acceptance of the vessel was completed with the signing of the Acceptance Document (D448).
The document was signed by:
- Rear Admiral Arvind Rawal, VSM, Chief Staff Officer (Technical), Western Naval Command and Chairman of the D448 Committee.
- Rear Admiral Chandrasekharan Raghuraman, VSM (Retd.), Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Shipyard Limited.
The handover marks the formal delivery of the specialised vessel to the Indian Navy.
Read also: Leadership Updates: Rear Admiral C. Raghuram (Retd.) Appointed CMD of Hindustan Shipyard Limited
Nipun Built with Over 80% Indigenous Content
According to HSL, the 118-metre-long DSV Nipun has been built with more than 80% indigenous content, highlighting India’s growing capabilities in domestic defence shipbuilding.
The vessel has a displacement of over 8,560 tonnes and incorporates advanced systems designed to support complex underwater operations.
Its key capabilities include:
- Dynamic Positioning.
- Saturation Diving.
- Submarine Rescue.
- Deep-sea Intervention systems.
These advanced features enable the vessel to undertake a wide range of specialised underwater missions.
DSV Nipun to Strengthen Indian Navy’s Underwater Operations
The vessel will serve as an integrated platform for submarine rescue, deep-sea diving support and other critical underwater operations. With its specialised capabilities, Nipun is expected to significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s underwater operational readiness and support missions that require advanced diving and deep-sea intervention capabilities.
The vessel’s induction also strengthens India’s strategic preparedness in the maritime domain and adds to the Navy’s specialised fleet of support platforms.
HSL Strengthens Indigenous Defence Shipbuilding
The delivery of Nipun comes nearly one year after HSL delivered INS Nistar to the Indian Navy. The latest handover further reinforces HSL’s experience in constructing complex strategic naval vessels.
The shipyard said the delivery reflects the collaborative efforts of the Government of India, the Indian Navy and HSL towards strengthening self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
A Milestone for India’s Maritime Preparedness
The delivery of DSV Nipun represents a significant step in enhancing India’s underwater strategic and maritime operational capabilities.With advanced diving, submarine rescue and deep-sea intervention systems, the vessel is expected to play an important role in supporting the Indian Navy’s specialised underwater missions.
The successful delivery also highlights India’s growing ability to develop and build sophisticated defence platforms domestically, strengthening the country’s long-term vision of self-reliance in defence production.
About HSL
Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) is a Government of India-owned shipbuilding company based in Visakhapatnam. The shipyard undertakes the construction, repair and refit of vessels for the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and other customers. HSL plays an important role in India’s indigenous defence shipbuilding efforts and contributes to the country’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission by developing advanced naval and maritime platforms.
