Kolkata: Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL), Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL), a leading Indian rolling stock and engineering solutions provider, handed over the first indigenously built Diving Support Craft (DSC), DSC A20, to the Indian Navy. This vessel is the first in a series of five DSCs being constructed by TRSL under the Ministry of Defence’s Make in India initiative. The handover ceremony took place in the presence of Commodore Aravind Chari, CSO (Tech), Southern Naval Command, who attended as the Chief Guest.
The Diving Support Craft, built with a catamaran-type hull, is designed to support the Navy’s Command Clearance Diving Teams in critical underwater operations such as repair, maintenance and salvage of ships inside and around harbours. It is also equipped to serve as a training platform for the Navy’s diving cadre, thereby enhancing operational readiness. With an overall length of 32.9 metres and a breadth of 13 metres, the vessel has an endurance of 72 hours at economical speed with 25 percent reserve fuel capacity. Powered by two engines of 1,342 KW each, it can achieve a cruising speed of 11 knots and is capable of carrying a complement of 18 personnel.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Umesh Chowdhary, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Titagarh Rail Systems Limited, said, “The handover of DSC A20 is an important milestone for Titagarh and a reflection of our growing role in India’s maritime sector. With greater emphasis on indigenous design and shipbuilding capacity, we are proud to contribute to the Navy’s operational readiness through vessels built entirely in India. Over the years, we have consistently delivered reliable solutions across both defence and mobility, and this achievement further demonstrates our commitment to supporting the nation’s self-reliance goals with the same consistency and reliability that our partners have come to expect from us.”
With the delivery of DSC A20, TRSL’s Shipbuilding and Maritime Systems Division has once again demonstrated its ability to deliver complex, high-precision vessels for the armed forces. This milestone is especially significant as it makes DSC A20 the first Indian Naval Commissioned Vessel to be built and delivered by a private shipyard in Bengal, underscoring Titagarh’s growing role in India’s maritime ecosystem.