Indian Navy commissions first indigenous Diving Support Craft DSC A20 in Kochi

The commissioning was overseen by Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, and hosted by Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition

The Indian Navy on Tuesday commissioned DSC A20, the first of five Diving Support Craft (DSC) being built indigenously by Titagarh Rail System, at a ceremony held at the Naval Base in Kochi.

The commissioning was overseen by Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, and hosted by Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition. Senior naval officials, representatives of Titagarh Rail System Limited, Kolkata, and other distinguished guests were present at the event.

The contract for constructing five Diving Support Craft was signed between the Ministry of Defence and Titagarh Rail System Limited on February 12, 2021. During the design phase, hydrodynamic analysis and model testing of the vessel were carried out at the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) in Visakhapatnam.

DSC A20 has been designed and built in accordance with the classification standards of the Indian Register of Shipping. The catamaran-hull vessel has a displacement of around 390 tonnes and is equipped with advanced diving systems. It is expected to play a critical role in underwater repairs and inspections, harbour clearance operations and specialised diving missions in coastal waters.

The commissioning of DSC A20 marks another significant step in the Indian Navy’s drive towards indigenous shipbuilding, in line with the government’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The successful construction of such a specialised platform within the country highlights the growing capabilities of India’s domestic defence industry and its progress in reducing reliance on imports.