• The Indian Navy’s indigenously designed and constructed Diving Support Vessel (DSV) INS Nistar is taking part in Exercise Pacific Reach 2025, a biennial multinational submarine rescue exercise being held in Singapore.
• The exercise, involving more than 40 participating nations, is structured in two phases – harbour and sea.
• During the harbour phase, nations will engage in discussions on submarine rescue systems, Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEE), a medical symposium, and cross-deck visits. The sea phase, to be conducted in the South China Sea, will witness multiple intervention and rescue drills, with INS Nistar and Submarine Rescue Unit (E) actively participating alongside international assets.
• Commissioned on 18 July 2025, INS Nistar was built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam, under the government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. Equipped with advanced systems such as Side Scan Sonar, Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), and an Integrated Saturation Diving System (ISDS), the vessel will serve as the mothership (MoSHIP) for India’s Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV).
• INS Nistar enhances India’s deep-sea diving and submarine rescue capabilities, providing the Navy with critical strength in conducting underwater repairs, salvage, and recovery operations—ensuring timely assistance during submarine emergencies.