Exercise Pacific Reach: Indian Navy demonstrates global submarine rescue capability

Over three successive days, the unit achieved three successful matings with international submarines, demonstrating the full spectrum of intervention and rescue operations and establishing India’s position in the global submarine rescue arena.

XPR-25, held from September 15 to September 25, featured participation from over 40 nations.

Conducted in two phases — a shore phase (15–20 Sep 2025) and a sea phase (21–25 Sep 2025) — the exercise was aimed at enhancing coordination and interoperability in submarine rescue.

Three rescue units embarked on Mother Ships — MV Swift Rescue (RSN), JS Chiyoda (Japan) and INS Nistar — operated alongside the submarines from the Republic of Korea Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) and Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), simulating as Disabled Submarines (DISSUBs).   

During the shore phase, professional exchanges and an international medical symposium allowed India to present its Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) system philosophy and post-rescue medical preparedness.

The sea phase in the South China Sea witnessed landmark achievements. On 23 Sep 2025, the Indian DSRV Tiger X undertook its maiden dive outside the Indian Ocean Region, achieving a historic first mating with ROK Navy’s Submarine Shin Dol-SeokS-082).

The Indian DSRV achieved another milestone by mating with RSN’s submarine RSS Invincible.

The culminating event on 25 Sep 2025 featured a coordinated rescue drill led by the RSN — the first three-asset (R3) rescue in Pacific Reach history.

INS Nistar spearheaded operations, localising and surveying the datum  passing requisite information to MV Swift Rescue and JS Chiyoda. With RSS Invincible simulating the distressed submarine, India’s ROV and Indian Navy DSRV were deployed in rapid succession, achieving mating within one hour of the dive.

The performance highlighted the Indian Navy’s exceptional proficiency and contributed substantially to the successful conduct of the multinational coordinated R3 rescue - a first for Exercise Pacific series.

"XPR-25 marked a watershed moment in India’s submarine rescue journey, with the Indian DSRV’s maiden foreign submarine matings and participation in a multinational coordinated rescue drill reinforcing India’s capability and commitment to global submarine safety," read a statement issued by the Indian government.