The Indian Navy has reached a significant milestone in its indigenous shipbuilding program with the recent launch of DSC A24, the fifth and final vessel of the Diving Support Craft (DSC) Project. The event took place at Titagarh, Kolkata, where Mrs. Kamal Singh officially launched the vessel on August 1, 2026, in a ceremony marked by naval traditions and attended by Vice Admiral Gurcharan Singh, Chief of Personnel, alongside senior officials from the Indian Navy and Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL), the shipbuilder responsible for the entire project.
DSC A24, like its predecessors, is designed in accordance with the Naval Rules and Regulations of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). The vessel features a catamaran-hull design with a displacement of approximately 300 to 400 tonnes. This twin-hull configuration offers enhanced stability, a larger working deck area, and improved sea-keeping characteristics, making it particularly well-suited for demanding diving and underwater support operations.
These Diving Support Crafts are equipped to undertake a wide variety of specialized missions including diving support operations, underwater inspections, salvage assistance, and coastal operational deployments. The successful induction of these vessels is set to significantly boost the Indian Navy’s capabilities in underwater maintenance, inspection of naval assets, harbor support, and maritime rescue operations.
The completion of the five-vessel DSC Project is a crucial development for enhancing the Navy’s underwater support infrastructure. The specialized crafts are expected to provide essential support during diving missions, underwater repairs, salvage tasks, and emergency response operations, thus offering increased operational flexibility for naval fleets.
A notable aspect of the project is its commitment to indigenous manufacturing, with approximately 70 percent of the main and auxiliary equipment sourced from Indian manufacturers. This reflects the Government of India’s dedication to the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, promoting self-reliance in the defense sector through the Make in India campaign.
The launch of DSC A24 not only highlights the capabilities of India’s domestic shipbuilding industry but also emphasizes the growing proficiency of Indian shipyards in designing and constructing specialized naval platforms that meet the operational needs of the Indian Navy.
With the introduction of this final Diving Support Craft, the Indian Navy continues to fortify its underwater operational capabilities and reinforces its long-term vision of self-reliance in defense production and maritime capability development. This project symbolizes another significant step in India’s journey towards establishing a modern, technologically advanced, and indigenously equipped naval force.
