Indian Navy Launches DSC A24, Final Vessel in Indigenous Diving Support Craft Programme

The Indian Navy has launched DSC A24, the fifth and final vessel in its programme to acquire a new generation of indigenously designed Diving Support Craft. The vessel was launched at the Titagarh shipyard in Kolkata, marking the completion of the launch phase of the five-craft project being executed by Titagarh Rail Systems Limited.

The Diving Support Craft programme was initiated through a contract signed between the Ministry of Defence and Titagarh Rail Systems Limited—then known as Titagarh Wagons Limited—on February 12, 2021. The project covers five vessels numbered DSC A20 to DSC A24 and was sanctioned at an overall cost of ₹174.77 crore.

DSC A24 represents the final vessel in the series. Its keel was laid on August 31, 2023, during the launch ceremony of DSC A20, the first craft of the project. The simultaneous construction of multiple vessels demonstrated the shipyard’s effort to accelerate delivery of specialised naval platforms.

The vessels feature a catamaran-hull configuration measuring approximately 30 metres in length, with a displacement of around 380 tonnes. The twin-hull design provides improved stability, additional working deck space and better sea-keeping characteristics, making the craft suitable for diving missions in coastal waters and harbour environments.

The craft will support Indian Navy divers during underwater inspection, repair and maintenance of ships. They can also assist in harbour-clearance operations, underwater salvage missions, coastal deployments and the training of naval diving personnel.

Once operational, the vessels will primarily support the Navy’s Command Clearance Diving Teams. These specialised teams provide diving assistance to warships and other naval assets operating inside or near harbours and undertake underwater repair, maintenance and salvage missions.

DSC A24 and the other vessels in the series are being fitted with modern diving equipment and specialised tools required for underwater operations. The platforms are expected to provide a stable operating base from which divers can conduct technically demanding missions close to the coast.

The ships have been designed and constructed in accordance with the relevant naval rules and regulations of the Indian Register of Shipping. Hydrodynamic analysis and model testing during the design phase were conducted at the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Naval Science and Technological Laboratory in Visakhapatnam.

An important feature of the programme is its high level of indigenous participation. Around 70 per cent of the principal and auxiliary equipment installed aboard the craft has been sourced from Indian manufacturers. The programme therefore supports the broader objectives of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India by expanding domestic expertise in specialised naval shipbuilding.

The first vessel, DSC A20, was delivered to the Indian Navy in September 2025 and commissioned at Naval Base Kochi on December 16, 2025. Equipped with modern diving systems, the vessel strengthened the Navy’s ability to undertake underwater inspections, harbour clearance and critical diving operations in coastal waters.

The launch of DSC A24 brings the construction programme closer to full completion. Following outfitting, harbour trials, sea trials and final acceptance procedures, the remaining craft will progressively enter naval service.

Although smaller than frontline destroyers, frigates and submarines, Diving Support Craft perform an essential operational role. Regular underwater inspection and timely repair of submerged components are necessary to maintain the readiness of naval vessels. The craft also provide specialised support during accidents, obstruction-clearance operations and underwater recovery missions.

The indigenous construction of the five-vessel series demonstrates the growing capability of Indian private-sector shipyards to build specialised platforms for the Armed Forces. DSC A24 will further strengthen the Navy’s underwater-support infrastructure while contributing to the development of India’s domestic maritime manufacturing ecosystem.