INS Nipun commissioned into the Indian Navy on Monday at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, with Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan presiding over the ceremony. The ship is the second Diving Support Vessel of the Nistar class, indigenously designed and built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited at Visakhapatnam.

Nipun was delivered to the Navy on 30 July at Visakhapatnam, following an extended programme of outfitting and sea trials. Its commissioning at Mumbai now brings the ship into active service under the Western Naval Command.

INS Nipun commissioned as CNS points to a contested maritime picture

Addressing the ceremony, Adm Swaminathan said combat readiness remains the Navy's foremost responsibility and highest priority, and that the induction of INS Nipun would strengthen India's specialised underwater capabilities. "We are living today through a period of significant strategic churn. The maritime environment is becoming increasingly contested. The threat perception in it is constantly evolving and manifesting in newer forms of challenge and complexity," he said.

He added that while it may not always be possible to predict the exact nature of future threats, India must stay prepared for the ones that can be anticipated. Adm Swaminathan also pointed to the regional picture along the western seaboard. "With West Asia in turmoil, global maritime highways under threat, and nations across the region re-arming at an accelerated pace, the Western Naval Command will continue to remain at the vanguard to tackle all challenges we face along and off the western seaboard," he said.

Vice Adm Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, was present at the ceremony alongside senior naval officers, representatives of Hindustan Shipyard Limited, veterans, distinguished guests and families of the commissioning crew.

Adm Swaminathan noted that commissioning is only one part of capability creation, and that Nipun's value would ultimately be measured by how quickly it is converted into deployable operational capability. He said INS Nipun will be based on the West Coast and will add to the Navy's niche underwater capabilities for multi-domain deepwater operations.

From delivery to commissioned warship

A name drawn from Sanskrit

The name Nipun is derived from Sanskrit and signifies one who is adept, capable and well versed in a particular discipline. Defence sources describe the vessel as living up to that name, built as a specialised platform for deep sea diving and rescue operations at sea.

Nipun and its sister ship Nistar were launched together at HSL's Visakhapatnam yard in September 2022, under a contract the Navy signed with the shipyard in September 2018. Nistar reached commissioning in July 2025, becoming the Navy's first indigenously designed and built DSV. Nipun's own delivery followed a year on from that milestone, and INS Nipun commissioned this week to give the Navy a full Nistar class of two ships in active service, one on each coast.

What INS Nipun brings to the underwater fleet

The ship is built primarily for deep sea diving and underwater operations, and can support saturation, air and heliox diving. It carries remotely operated underwater systems for inspection and intervention, alongside a dynamic positioning capability that lets it hold station precisely over a dive or rescue site.

A dedicated diving complex sits alongside life support and medical facilities aboard the vessel, enabling sustained and complex operations at sea. The ship can also support submarine rescue operations, adding to the Navy's ability to respond to underwater contingencies. Together with sister ship Nistar, Nipun substantially expands the Navy's specialist diving, underwater intervention, salvage and submarine rescue support capability.

A crest built around a motto for the depths

The ship's crest and motto, Far Beneath, Few Beyond, reflect the resolve, skill and endurance the role demands of the crew who operate in one of the most challenging domains of the maritime environment.

The Navy has been building out its diving and underwater support fleet on more than one track this year. Titagarh Rail Systems separately closed out a five ship order of smaller Diving Support Craft at its Kolkata yard, vessels built for coastal and harbour diving work rather than the deep sea, long endurance missions the Nistar class is designed for. IDW had reported the commissioning was scheduled for 31 August after Nipun's delivery milestone in July.

Growing capability of India's shipbuilding base

Nipun's delivery in July carried indigenous content near 75 percent, a figure the yard reached with heavy reliance on domestic vendors rather than imported systems. More than 120 MSME vendors across India were engaged in building the two Nistar class ships, sourcing yard material, equipment and services through the government's GeM procurement portal.

The induction reflects the growing capabilities of India's shipbuilding ecosystem, in line with the government's Aatmanirbhar Bharat push in shipbuilding. Indian Navy assets on the western seaboard now have a dedicated deep sea diving and submarine rescue capability that previously sat only with the Eastern Fleet.

With the Commissioning Pennant hoisted, INS Nipun has formally entered operational service, ready to support divers working beneath the surface and to contribute to safeguarding India's maritime interests.