New diving craft to bolster Indian Navy's underwater operations capability

The Indian Navy recently commissioned Diving Support Craft (DSC) A20, the first of five indigenously built vessels designed to strengthen underwater and coastal infrastructure.

DSC A20 is built by Titagarh Rail Systems Limited, a private company, with design and testing support from the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory. The vessel marks another milestone in the Navy’s drive for indigenising specialised maritime platforms, said a government press statement.

The vessel was commissioned at the naval base in Kochi. Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, flag officer commanding-in-chief of Southern Naval Command, presided over the event on Tuesday.

What is a diving support craft

DSC A20 is a specialised naval vessel to support underwater diving operations rather than combat roles. It serves as a mobile base for naval diving teams to perform safe underwater work in harbours, coastal waters and near-shore environments.

It will undertake tasks that cannot be carried out by conventional warships, such as inspection of hulls and underwater structures, repair work, salvage operations, and clearing underwater obstructions.

The vessel has a catamaran-like design — two parallel hulls connected by a platform —for enhanced stability, shallow-water operability, and larger deck area, all of which are vital for diving operations. It was designed in accordance with the classification rules of the Indian Register of Shipping.

The DSC A20 will assist in inspecting underwater damage, accidents and natural wear, enabling the Navy to maintain readiness during peacetime and respond quickly during an emergency situation.

With over 11,000 km of coastline and nearly 200 major and minor ports, the vessel addresses a vital capability gap by enabling effective underwater operations and coastal infrastructure maintenance.