NEW DELHI — The Indian Navy’s Submarine Rescue Unit aboard INS Nistar achieved historic milestones during Exercise Pacific Reach 2025 (XPR-25) in Singapore, successfully conducting multiple submarine matings and leading a first-ever three-nation coordinated rescue drill in the South China Sea. The participation showcased India’s expanding submarine rescue capabilities and its growing role in global maritime safety.
Participating aboard the submarine rescue vessel INS Nistar, the Indian team achieved three successful underwater matings with international submarines during Exercise Pacific Reach 2025 (XPR-25), held from September 15 to 25 in Singapore and the South China Sea.
The biennial exercise, hosted by the Republic of Singapore Navy, drew representatives from more than 40 nations and featured both shore-based and sea-based phases aimed at improving coordination and interoperability in submarine rescue operations.
During the shore phase, Indian officers presented the Navy’s Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) system and post-rescue medical preparedness at a professional exchange and international medical symposium.
In the sea phase, India’s DSRV Tiger X made its first deployment outside the Indian Ocean region, achieving historic matings with South Korea’s submarine Shin Dol-Seok (S-082) and Singapore’s RSS Invincible.
The exercise culminated on September 25 with a coordinated rescue drill involving three rescue assets — a first in the history of the Pacific Reach series. INS Nistar led operations, locating and surveying a simulated distressed submarine before passing information to participating ships from Singapore and Japan. India’s remotely operated vehicle and DSRV successfully mated with the submarine within an hour of diving, underscoring the Navy’s operational efficiency.
India’s Ministry of Defense said the successful participation highlighted its expanding expertise in deep-sea rescue and its commitment to enhancing multinational cooperation in submarine safety.
“XPR-25 marked a watershed moment in India’s submarine rescue journey,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement, noting that the event showcased the service’s growing ability to contribute to global submarine rescue operations.
 in Singapore, conducting successful matings with international submarines and leading a first-ever three-nation coordinated rescue drill in the South China Sea.){kind=link}