Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL) has delivered the first of five Diving Support Crafts (DSC), named DSC A20, to the Indian Navy. Built under the Defence Ministry’s Make in India programme, this vessel marks a significant step forward in private sector contributions to India’s naval capabilities. The handover took place in Kolkata and was attended by Commodore Aravind Chari, CSO (Tech) of the Southern Naval Command, who presided as Chief Guest.
DSC A20 is designed to support underwater operations such as ship repairs, salvage, and routine maintenance. It will also serve as a training platform for Navy divers. The twin-hull vessel is 32.9 metres long and 13 metres wide, with a cruising speed of 11 knots. It runs on two 1,342 kW engines and can operate for 72 hours with a 25% fuel reserve. The vessel carries a crew of 18.
Umesh Chowdhary, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Titagarh Rail Systems, said “This vessel represents a major achievement for us and a proud moment in our support of India’s naval strength. It’s fully designed and built in India and shows our growing ability to deliver complex marine systems.”
This is the first naval vessel built and delivered by a private shipyard in West Bengal, highlighting Titagarh’s expanding role in defence manufacturing. Titagarh’s shipbuilding division has been active in building vessels for the Navy, Coast Guard, and scientific institutions like NIOT. With over 35 vessels already delivered, the company is setting up a modern shipyard in Falta, south of Kolkata, designed to build vessels up to 180 metres long, with an annual capacity of 12 to 16 ships.
To focus its operations, Titagarh plans to spin off its shipbuilding unit into a separate company called Titagarh Naval Systems (pending regulatory approval). The subsidiary will take forward current projects like the Diving Support Craft programme and will pursue new contracts to grow its presence in the maritime defence space. It currently has an order book worth over ₹575 crore.
The new facility will include advanced automation and is being developed in line with Industry 4.0 standards. The company is also exploring partnerships to scale up its defence and maritime capabilities under ongoing government initiatives.
