NEW DELHI: Showcasing its growing maritime capabilities, the Indian Navy has successfully completed its first-ever submarine intervention and rescue exercise with foreign submarines beyond Indian waters.
The Navy announced on Saturday that it had “achieved maiden mating with foreign submarines in the South China Sea during XPR-25 (Exercise Pacific Reach-2025), conducting the full spectrum of intervention and rescue operations.” Over three days, three successful submarine mates—including remotely operated vehicle (ROV) missions—were carried out, highlighting India’s expanding global rescue capacity.
Calling the drill a “milestone,” the Navy said it underscored India’s readiness, interoperability, and commitment to submarine rescue operations, establishing the country as a reliable maritime partner and proactive contributor to regional safety and humanitarian response.
Strategic analyst Commodore Anil Jai Singh (Retd.) described the achievement as both military diplomacy and soft power projection. “Providing a rescue capability in time to a distressed submarine is a very visible manifestation of military diplomacy and our power projection,” he noted.
The exercise was conducted from INS Nistar, India’s indigenously designed and built Diving Support Vessel (DSV), which has been stationed in Changi, Singapore, since September 14. Operating under the Eastern Fleet’s command, the ship is taking part in Exercise Pacific Reach 2025, a biennial multinational drill hosted by Singapore.
The exercise drew participation from over 40 nations in active and observer roles. It unfolded in two phases: a harbour segment featuring expert exchanges, medical symposia, and cross-deck visits, followed by a sea phase where INS Nistar and the Indian Navy’s Submarine Rescue Unit (East) carried out multiple rescue operations with partner assets in the South China Sea.
The exercise comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the South China Sea, where overlapping territorial claims continue to fuel disputes. China, which asserts control over most of the region, is currently locked in a standoff with US-backed Philippine vessels near the Second Thomas Shoal. The Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan also maintain counterclaims in the contested waters.
Source:Africa Publicity
