New Delhi [India], October 1 (ANI): The Indian Navy’s Submarine Rescue Unit (East), embarked aboard INS Nistar, showcased advanced submarine rescue capabilities during Exercise Pacific Reach 2025 (XPR-25), hosted by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), the Ministry of Defence announced on Wednesday.
Over three consecutive days, the unit achieved three successful matings with international submarines, demonstrating the full scope of submarine intervention and rescue operations, and cementing India’s role in the global submarine rescue community.
XPR-25, conducted from September 15–25, featured participation from over 40 nations. The exercise comprised two phases — a shore phase (September 15–20) and a sea phase (September 21–25) — with the objective of enhancing coordination and interoperability in submarine rescue operations, the Ministry of Defence said.
Three submarine rescue units, embarked aboard Mother Ships (MoShips) MV Swift Rescue (RSN), JS Chiyoda (Japan), and INS Nistar (India), operated alongside submarines from the Republic of Korea Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), simulating distressed submarines (DISSUBs).
During the shore phase, professional exchanges and an international medical symposium provided India with the opportunity to present its philosophy on the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) system and post-rescue medical preparedness.
The sea phase, conducted in the South China Sea, featured several landmark achievements. On September 23, India’s DSRV Tiger X undertook its maiden dive outside the Indian Ocean region, successfully mating with the Republic of Korea Navy’s submarine Shin Dol-Seok (S-082) — marking a historic first. The Indian DSRV subsequently achieved another milestone by mating with RSN’s submarine RSS Invincible.
The culminating event on September 25 was a coordinated rescue drill led by the RSN — the first-ever three-asset (R3) rescue in Exercise Pacific Reach history. INS Nistar spearheaded the operation by localising and surveying the distressed submarine, then relaying crucial information to MV Swift Rescue and JS Chiyoda. With RSS Invincible simulating the distressed submarine, India’s ROV and DSRV were deployed in rapid succession, achieving mating within one hour of the dive.
The performance underscored the Indian Navy’s operational excellence and strengthened India’s standing as a leader in submarine rescue. XPR-25 marked a watershed moment in India’s submarine rescue capabilities, with the Indian DSRV’s maiden foreign submarine matings and participation in a multinational coordinated rescue drill reaffirming India’s commitment to global submarine safety.
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