Nistar, Nipun to herald a new era

Visakhapatnam: By 2047, the Indian Navy will move towards completely indigenous ships, submarines, aircraft and weapon systems, said Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar. At the launch of the two major diving support vessels (DSVs) INS Nistar and Nipun at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, the Chief of Naval Staff said the Indian Navy had commissioned the first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant at Kochi a few days back. "Combined together, the DSVs reaffirm our growing stature as a 'builders' navy', and a formidable maritime force capable of undertaking multidimensional and multispectral operations," he mentioned.

INS Nistar and Nipun were launched by president of Naval Wives' Welfare Association (NWWA) Kala Hari Kumar in the presence of the Chief of Naval Staff, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, CMD of HSL Cmde Hemant Khatri, among others. Terming the DSVs as unique platforms developed for undertaking specialised deep sea diving and submarine rescue operations, Admiral R Hari Kumar said, "The induction of these versatile ships will not only boost our search and rescue capabilities but also serve as a powerful tool in support of India's Deep Ocean Mission."

Once commissioned, Nistar and Nipun would not only herald a new era in the deep ocean diving operations but also enhance the Indian Navy's stature as a credible force and first responder to undertake critical operations such as submarine rescue operations in the IOR.

The major recipient of the navy's capital budget investment includes Indian shipyards. Of the 45 ships and submarines that are under construction at the moment, 43 are being built at shipyards across the country. "It is a matter of great pride and satisfaction that about 80 percent of the DSV project's equipment was indigenously sourced from more than 120 MSMEs across the country," the Chief of Naval Staff informed.

Highlighting the features of the diving support vessels, CMD of HSL Cmde Hemant Khatri mentioned that they were first of its kind indigenously designed ships at HSL for the Indian Navy. Further, he stated that the launch of the DSVs marks the capability of HSL to deliver potent platforms for the nation. Cmde Khatri recalled the milestones achieved by the HSL since its inception in 1941.

With the launch of the DSVs, the HSL has completed building 200 ships since its inception and took up 2,000 repair works so far.