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The Indian Navy has successfully executed its first submarine intervention and rescue exercise in the contested waters of the South China Sea. This milestone marks a significant operational expansion for India’s undersea warfare capabilities and highlights growing interoperability ambitions amid Indo-Pacific security dynamics.
Strategic Context: Expanding Reach into the Indo-Pacific
The drill took place during the Indian Navy’s extended deployment to Southeast Asia as part of Exercise MILAN 2024. The operation involved a Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) team conducting live sea trials and simulated submarine rescue procedures. Notably, this is the first time India has demonstrated such capability beyond its immediate maritime boundaries—particularly in a region as geopolitically sensitive as the South China Sea.
This deployment aligns with India’s Act East policy and reflects New Delhi’s strategic intent to project credible naval capabilities across critical sea lanes. The exercise also underscores India’s commitment to regional maritime security cooperation and interoperability with ASEAN navies.
India’s DSRV Capability: A Critical Undersea Asset
The Indian Navy operates two British-origin DSAR-650L class Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles supplied by James Fisher Defence (UK). These systems are designed to locate disabled submarines up to depths of 650 meters and facilitate crew evacuation under pressure. The DSRVs are deployed from specialized mother ships using dynamic positioning systems for precision station-keeping during rescue operations.
Each DSRV system includes:
- A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for seabed survey and locating distressed submarines
- A side scan sonar suite for underwater mapping
- A pressurized transfer chamber (PTC) for safe crew extraction
- Advanced communication systems compatible with NATO-standard distress protocols (e.g., SUBSUNK)
In this exercise, the DSRV was deployed from INS Nireekshak—a diving support vessel equipped with saturation diving systems, recompression chambers, and dynamic positioning capabilities. The ship served as both launch platform and command center for coordinating undersea operations.
Operational Highlights from the South China Sea Drill
The drill simulated a distressed submarine scenario at depth. Key phases included:
- Deployment of ROV to locate mock-submarine target on seabed
- Use of acoustic transponders and ultra-short baseline (USBL) navigation to home in on target location
- Mating of DSRV skirt with simulated escape hatch under realistic sea conditions
- Simulated crew transfer via pressurized chamber back to surface support vessel
This marked one of the first occasions where India validated full-spectrum submarine rescue protocols—including C4ISR integration—outside its territorial waters. The drill also allowed stress-testing of long-range deployment logistics for heavy subsea equipment aboard auxiliary platforms like INS Nireekshak.
Interoperability & Regional Signaling Implications
The timing and location of this exercise carry notable strategic signaling weight. Conducting such drills in proximity to contested maritime zones—where Chinese naval presence is assertive—reinforces India’s role as a net security provider in the Indo-Pacific.
India is one of only a handful of nations operating certified deep-submarine rescue capability. By demonstrating this competence regionally, New Delhi positions itself as a potential provider of emergency response services under multinational frameworks such as:
- International Submarine Escape & Rescue Liaison Office (ISMERLO)
- Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS)
- ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus)
Evolving Undersea Doctrine & Future Prospects
This operation reflects growing doctrinal emphasis within the Indian Navy on survivability, redundancy, and rapid response in undersea domains. As India expands its fleet of conventional submarines (Scorpène-class) and prepares for future nuclear-powered platforms (SSNs), robust rescue infrastructure becomes indispensable.
The successful overseas deployment also validates India’s ability to transport complex subsea assets over long distances—a key enabler for expeditionary support missions or multilateral exercises involving partner navies like Australia, Singapore or Indonesia.
Looking ahead:
- The Indian Navy may seek bilateral agreements enabling forward basing or prepositioning of subsea assets in friendly ports across Southeast Asia.
- An indigenous follow-on program may be launched by DRDO or private sector partners to develop next-generation modular DSRVs tailored for greater depth (>1000 m) or autonomous operations.
- Civil-military dual use applications—such as offshore oil rig support or disaster recovery—could further enhance return on investment from these high-value platforms.
Conclusion: A Capability Milestone with Strategic Overtones
The Indian Navy’s first-ever submarine intervention drill in the South China Sea represents more than just technical validation—it signals intent. With growing emphasis on blue-water capabilities, regional partnerships, and crisis response readiness, India’s undersea warfare posture is evolving rapidly toward expeditionary resilience.
This milestone not only enhances operational confidence but also strengthens India’s credentials as a responsible stakeholder capable of contributing meaningfully to Indo-Pacific maritime stability—even beneath the waves.
