INS Nireekshak

INS Nireekshak:

INS Nireekshak recently arrived in Colombo to participate in the fourth edition of the India–Sri Lanka Diving Exercise (DIVEX 2026).

• It is a Dive Support and Submarine Rescue Vessel of the Indian Navy.
• Built by Mazgaon Shipbuilders in 1985, the ship has been in service with the Navy since 1989 and was commissioned in the year 1995.
• Equipped with advanced deep-sea diving systems, recompression chambers, and submarine rescue infrastructure, the vessel can deploy Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles and support saturation diving missions.
• Its sophisticated systems allow it to maintain stability during sensitive underwater operations, making it indispensable for search-and-rescue missions, underwater inspections, and diver training.

DIVEX 2026:

• It is the fourth edition of the India–Sri Lanka Diving Exercise.
• The week-long exercise will bring together diving teams from the Indian Navy and the Sri Lankan Navy to undertake a series of specialised underwater operations and training drills.
• The initiative is aimed at enhancing interoperability, strengthening coordination, and facilitating the exchange of best practices between the two maritime forces.
• As part of India’s humanitarian outreach, the INS Nireekshak will also hand over two BHISM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) cubes to Sri Lankan authorities under the government’s Aarogya Maitri initiative.
• These portable medical units are equipped to handle up to 200 emergency cases and come with essential medicines and basic surgical capabilities, as per the release.