Maiden voyage to retrace historical maritime route from Gujarat to Oman
The Indian Navy is set to induct an ancient-style stitched ship on 21 May 2025 at Naval Base, Karwar, in a ceremonial event presided over by Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. The unveiling of the vessel’s name will mark the successful completion of the first phase of an ambitious maritime heritage project that recreates a 5th-century CE Indian ship, reported deshgujarat.com.
The stitched ship, inspired by Ajanta cave paintings, is a fully functional sea-going vessel constructed using traditional techniques and is set to sail from Gujarat to Oman.
The stitched ship project was launched under a tripartite agreement signed in July 2023 between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and M/s Hodi Innovations. Built by master artisans from Kerala led by Babu Sankaran, the vessel was constructed entirely with traditional materials and methods, involving thousands of hand-stitched joints—without modern welding or metal fasteners. The ship was launched in February 2025 at M/s Hodi Shipyard, Goa.
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The Indian Navy oversaw the entire project, including concept development, design, and construction
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Drawing inspiration from two-dimensional Ajanta cave iconography, the Navy collaborated with IIT Madras for hydrodynamic testing and conducted its own structural analysis to ensure seaworthiness
The stitched ship features square sails, steering oars, and a stitched wooden hull—design elements unique to ancient Indian maritime engineering and unfamiliar to modern naval architecture.
This effort is not only a technological and cultural milestone but also a strategic initiative to revive and operationalise India’s rich maritime past.
Following its induction, the stitched ship will embark on its historic maiden voyage from Gujarat to Oman, retracing ancient maritime trade routes. The transoceanic journey aims to revive the spirit of Indian seafaring and reaffirm India’s legacy as a maritime civilisation. The vessel’s construction demanded innovation grounded in authenticity—balancing archaeological interpretation with naval engineering.
The Indian Navy’s leadership in this project underscores its commitment to preserving India’s maritime heritage through living traditions. This project marks a first-of-its-kind operationalisation of an ancient ship from a visual reference, successfully transforming an artistic vision into an ocean-worthy vessel.
