Mumbai

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan on Monday said that the maritme environmenit was becoming increasingly contested and that threat perceptions were constantly evolving, as he commissioned India's second indigenously designed and built Diving Support Vessel (DSV), INS Nipun, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.

Addressing the commissioning ceremony, the Navy Chief said combat readiness remains the Indian Navy's foremost responsibility and highest priority, adding 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," Admiral Swaminathan said.

He said that while it may not always be possible to predict the exact nature of future threats, India must remain prepared for anticipated challenges and develop credible capabilities to respond effectively and in time.

"While it might not always be possible to predict the exact nature of threats that our nation could face in the future, what we can certainly do is be prepared for the threats that we anticipate and build credible capability that enables us to tackle them effectively and on time wherever and whenever they may arise," he said.

Highlighting the significance of INS Nipun, Admiral Swaminathan said the vessel would be based on the West Coast under the Western Naval Command and would add to the Navy's niche underwater capabilities for multi-domain deepwater operations.

"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.

The 9,000-tonne vessel is equipped with specialised capabilities, including saturation diving, a dynamic positioning system, diving compression chambers, self-propelled hyperbaric lifeboats and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). It can also embark and operate the Indian Navy's Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV).

"Submarine rescue in particular is a discipline where preparedness admits very little margin for delay. Nipun's ability to embark and operate the DSRV expands our capacity to assist a distressed submarine quite significantly, whether our own or that of a partner navy," the Navy Chief said.

He said the capability would enable India to emerge as a reliable submarine rescue partner in the region. He added that Nipun's specialised diving capabilities could also support partner nations in underwater salvage and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) missions.

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Admiral Swaminathan stressed that the commissioning of the vessel was only one part of capability creation and that its successful induction would ultimately be measured by how quickly it was converted into deployable operational capability.

"The real measure of successful induction is how rapidly and effectively we convert this new platform into deployable operational capability," he said.