Indian Navy commissions first of five new domestic diving support craft

December 16, 2025, by Fatima Bahtić

The Indian Navy has commissioned DSC A20, the first of the five diving support craft (DSC), built indigenously by Titagarh Rail System Limited.

As informed, the commissioning ceremony took place on December 16, 2025, at Naval Base, Kochi. The vessel was delivered in September this year.

Indian Navy welcomes first indigenously made diving support craft

Vessels

The contract for the construction of five DSCs was signed between India’s Ministry of Defense and Titagarh Rail Systems Limited, Kolkata, on February 12, 2021. As part of the design phase, hydrodynamic analysis and model testing were carried out at the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) in Visakhapatnam to ensure optimal performance and seaworthiness.

DSC A20 has been designed and built in accordance with the classification rules of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). The vessel features a catamaran hull form and has a displacement of approximately 390 tonnes.

Equipped with modern diving systems, the craft is designed to support a wide range of operations, including underwater repairs and inspections, harbour clearance tasks, and critical diving missions in coastal waters.

The commissioning of DSC A20 marks another important milestone in the Indian Navy’s indigenous shipbuilding program and aligns with the Government of India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.

The successful domestic construction of such a specialized platform highlights the growing capabilities of India’s defence industry and underscores ongoing efforts to reduce reliance on imported systems.