HSL Delivers 'Nipun' Diving Support Vessel to Indian Navy

Visakhapatnam: Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) on Friday delivered the Diving Support Vessel (DSV) 'Nipun' to the Indian Navy, marking another milestone in India's indigenous defence shipbuilding programme and significantly strengthening the country's underwater operational capabilities.

The formal Acceptance Document (D448) was signed by Rear Admiral Arvind Rawal, VSM, CSO (Tech), Western Naval Command and Chairman, D448 Committee, and Rear Admiral Chandrasekhar Raghuram, VSM (Retd.), Chairman & Managing Director, HSL, during the handover ceremony.

The delivery comes just a year after HSL successfully handed over INS Nistar, underscoring the shipyard's capability to design and build complex strategic naval platforms of national importance.

Measuring 118 metres in length and displacing over 8,560 tonnes, Nipun has more than 80% indigenous content, reflecting India's growing self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

The state-of-the-art vessel is equipped with advanced Dynamic Positioning, Saturation Diving, Submarine Rescue, and Deep-Sea Intervention systems, making it a comprehensive platform for underwater operations. These capabilities will significantly enhance the Indian Navy's ability to undertake complex diving missions, submarine rescue operations and deep-sea interventions.

According to HSL, Nipun represents the shared commitment of the Government of India, the Indian Navy and Hindustan Shipyard Limited towards strengthening maritime security while advancing the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat through indigenous defence production.

The successful delivery further reinforces HSL's role as one of India's premier defence shipyards, contributing to the country's strategic maritime capabilities and expanding the indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem.