The navies of India and South Africa on September 4, 2024 signed an implementation agreement to enhance submarine rescue support cooperation that ensures the safety of the South African Navy’s submarine crew in times of distress or accident.
- Under this agreement, the Indian Navy will provide assistance by deploying its Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) when required, further strengthening the collaborative ties between the two navies.
Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV)
- The Indian Navy had procured two DSRVs from UK that were operationalised in 2018 in Mumbai and in Visakhapatnam the next year.
- The system can go to a maximum depth of 650 metres and can rescue 14 people in one go. It also has a remotely operated vehicle (ROV).
- During trials in 2018, the DSRV had dived up to 666 metres, setting a record for deepest submergence by a ‘manned’ vessel in Indian waters.
- The DSRV is designed for ease of transportation in case of any exigency. For this purpose, the entire system has been divided into 24 components which can be easily transported by road, sea or air.
- The system is attached to a mother ship INS Sabarmati of the Ship Building Corporation, or it can also be transported by heavy transport aircraft like IL-76 and C-17.
