New Delhi: The Indian Navy will commission DSC A20, the first vessel from its indigenously designed Diving Support Craft series, at Kochi on 16 December 2025 under the Southern Naval Command. The vessel will be taken into service in the presence of Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command. With this addition, the Navy will enhance its capacity for diving and underwater support operations along the coast.

DSC A20 is the lead craft in a series of five vessels being built by Titagarh Rail Systems Limited in Kolkata. Designed for a wide range of underwater and diving missions in coastal waters, the vessel features advanced diving systems developed to meet high safety and operational standards.

The craft is built on a catamaran hull, offering improved stability, larger deck space, and better seakeeping. It has a displacement of around 390 tons and has been constructed in line with the Naval Rules and Regulations of the Indian Register of Shipping. Its design was refined through extensive hydrodynamic studies and model testing at the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory in Visakhapatnam.

The commissioning of DSC A20 marks progress in India’s focus on Aatmanirbharta in the maritime sector and reflects effective coordination between the Navy, domestic shipbuilders, and research organisations working on specialised naval platforms.

Once operational, DSC A20 will strengthen the Navy’s role in diving support, underwater inspection, salvage tasks, and coastal deployments. The vessel will be based at Kochi and operate under the Southern Naval Command.

BI Bureau