Exercise Pacific Reach 2025: INS Nistar in Submarine Rescue Drill
Why in the news
The Indian Navy’s new diving support vessel INS Nistar took part in Pacific Reach 2025, the submarine rescue exercise held in Singapore.
Key facts
- Pacific Reach is a biennial submarine rescue exercise; the 2025 edition was held in Singapore.
- The week-long harbour phase at Changi Naval Base had expert exchanges, medical symposiums and cross-deck visits.
- The sea phase in the South China Sea featured live rescue operations and submarine intervention drills.
- More than 40 nations took part as active contributors and observers.
About INS Nistar and India’s rescue assets
INS Nistar is described as India’s newest indigenously built diving support vessel and was commissioned on 18 July 2025. It carries side scan sonar, observation-class ROVs and advanced deep-sea diving systems, and more than 80% of its components are indigenous. The Submarine Rescue Unit (East) is hosted aboard. India’s two Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles, one for each coast, were inducted in 2018-19 and can operate to 650 metres.
Exam angle
- Pair the exercise name with the venue: Pacific Reach and Singapore.
- Remember INS Nistar is a diving support vessel, not a warship.
- Indigenous content of over 80% fits the self-reliance theme in defence.