INS Ajay and INS Nistar: Latest Milestones in SAIL’s Strategic Steel Support to Defence Indigenization

Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), a Maharatna PSU and India’s largest steelmaker, continues to bolster the nation’s defence self-reliance by supplying critical-grade steel for the latest additions to India’s naval fleet—INS Ajay and INS Nistar.

SAIL supplied the entire requirement of special DMR-grade steel plates for INS Ajay, launched by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. (GRSE). The vessel marks the eighth and final ship in the indigenously developed Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) series, showcasing India’s shipbuilding prowess and advanced defence capabilities. The DMR-grade steel ensures structural strength, agility, and stealth features—key for shallow-water anti-submarine operations.

Additionally, SAIL provided the full quantity of special-grade steel plates for INS Nistar, India’s first indigenously designed and constructed Diving Support Vessel (DSV), commissioned by Hindustan Shipyard Ltd. (HSL). Engineered for complex roles including submarine rescue, deep-sea diving, and long-duration maritime patrols, INS Nistar is a major leap in enhancing India’s undersea operational capability.

These milestones underscore SAIL’s unwavering commitment to national defence and its strategic alignment with the vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat. With each specialised vessel built using domestically produced steel, SAIL strengthens India’s naval resilience and reinforces its role as the trusted steel partner for the nation’s armed forces.