Indian Navy Shines at Multinational Submarine Rescue Exercise in Singapore
The Indian Navy’s Submarine Rescue Unit (East), aboard INS Nistar, showcased precision and professionalism at Exercise Pacific Reach 2025 (XPR-25) in Singapore.
Over three days, the unit successfully completed matings with international submarines. The operations demonstrated the full range of intervention and rescue capabilities. They also highlighted India’s growing role in global submarine rescue.
XPR-25 ran from September 15 to 25 and involved more than 40 nations. The exercise had two phases. The shore phase, from September 15–20, featured professional exchanges and a medical symposium. The sea phase, from September 21–25 in the South China Sea, included complex live rescue drills.
Rescue units on MV Swift Rescue (Singapore), JS Chiyoda (Japan), and INS Nistar (India) operated alongside submarines from South Korea, Japan, and Singapore. These submarines simulated distressed vessels (DISSUBs).
During the shore phase, the Indian Navy presented its Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) system philosophy. It also detailed post-rescue medical preparedness at the international medical symposium.
The sea phase saw several landmark achievements. On September 23, India’s DSRV Tiger X made its first dive outside the Indian Ocean Region. It completed its first foreign submarine matings with South Korea’s Shin Dol-Seok (S-082) and Singapore’s RSS Invincible.
The exercise concluded on September 25 with a historic coordinated rescue drill led by Singapore. This marked the first-ever three-asset (R3) rescue in Pacific Reach history. INS Nistar led the operations. It localized and surveyed the datum, then passed critical information to MV Swift Rescue and JS Chiyoda.
With RSS Invincible simulating a distressed submarine, India’s ROV and DSRV were deployed in quick succession. They achieved mating within one hour of the dive. This performance highlighted the Indian Navy’s high proficiency and was central to the success of the multinational R3 drill.
XPR-25 marks a major milestone in India’s submarine rescue journey. The Indian Navy’s first foreign submarine matings and its key role in the first coordinated multinational rescue drill reaffirm India’s commitment to global submarine safety and interoperability.