Indian Navy commissions deep-sea diving support vessel INS Nipun

INS Nipun, a deep-sea diving vessel that has the capability to provide rapid submarine rescue, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in Mumbai on Monday (August 31, 2026).

This is the second such deep-sea diving vessel commissioned into the Indian Navy.

INS Nipun was commissioned in the presence of Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan.

Built by Hindustan Shipyard Ltd, the ship is 119.4 metres long with a capacity of 10,500 tonnes.

The ship has the capacity to support diving operations up to 300 metres. It also has the capability of providing rapid submarine rescue. It can also be deployed for disaster relief and humanitarian operations.

Speaking after the commissioning of INS Nipun, Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan on Monday (August 31, 2026) said this is a period of significant strategic churn, with the maritime environment becoming increasingly contested amid the crisis in West Asia.

The threat perception is constantly evolving, manifesting in newer forms of challenge and complexity, he said.

“We are living today through a period of significant strategic churn; the maritime environment is becoming increasingly contested,” Admiral Swaminathan said.