Indian Navy acquires deep submarine rescue capabilities

New Delhi, Oct 13 (PTI) The Navy has inducted its first deep submergence rescue vehicle which is deployed to rescue  disaster-struck submarines at high sea.
Navy Spokesperson Capt D K Sharma said that with induction of the deep submergence rescue vehicle (DSRV), India has joined a select group of countries that have the capability to locate and rescue “distressed submarines”.

At present, the US, China, Russia and a few other countries have the capabilities to deploy DSRVs.

Though DSRVs are used for rescue of personnel in downed submarines, they are also deployed for various other missions including to lay cables on the sea bed.

The  DSRV is ready to be mobilised  from the naval base in Mumbai by air,land or sea.The second DSRV is expected to be inducted at Visakhapatnam in 2019.

Indian Navy sources said induction of the DSRV was part of the Navy’s overall strategy to  enhance  capabilities in view of growing Chinese presence in critical sea lanes.