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The Hindu
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Keel laying of eighth anti-submarine warfare ship held
The keel laying of the eighth anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ship being built for the Indian Navy was held at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) by Vice Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition, on May 29, 2025. Among those present were Madhu S. Nair, Chairman and Managing Director, CSL, and Rear Admiral Vishal Bishnoi, Assistant Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition. The contract for building eight ASW ships was signed between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and CSL on 30 April 2019. The Mahe class of ships will replace the in-service Abhay class ASW corvettes of the Indian Navy and are designed to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, low-intensity maritime operations, mine-laying operations, and subsurface surveillance. The vessels are capable of a maximum speed of 25 knots and have an endurance of 1,800 nautical miles. They are fitted with indigenously developed, state-of-the-art sonars for underwater surveillance. This exemplifies India's capability to manufacture high-end, technology-intensive warships with a high indigenous content under the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiative.
Hans India
22-05-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Revival of Ancient Shipbuilding Craft
Karwar: The Indian Navy officially commissioned INSV Kaundinya, a traditionally crafted sail ship, into its fleet at Karwar Naval Base on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in preserving India's maritime heritage. The vessel, constructed using 5th-century CE shipbuilding techniques, reflects a blend of historical ingenuity and modern validation. The induction ceremony was presided over by Union Minister of Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, with Vice Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition, and Rear Admiral K M Ramakrishnan, Flag Officer of Karnataka Naval Area, among the attendees. Shekhawat highlighted the project's importance, stating, 'A historic moment for Bharat and our civilisational pride. Presided over the induction ceremony of the Ancient Stitched Ship INSV Kaundinya at Karwar Naval Base today—an extraordinary recreation of a 5th-century vessel, inspired by Ajanta murals and handcrafted by Kerala's traditional artisans using age-old techniques.' He credited Sanjeev Sanyal, Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister, for initiating research into the project. Named after Kaundinya, a legendary Indian mariner who navigated to Southeast Asia, the ship features culturally significant elements, including sails with Gandabherunda (two headed bird) and Sun motifs, a Simha Yali sculpture on the bow, and a Harappan-style stone anchor. These details symbolise India's historical maritime trade and cultural exchanges. The vessel is set to undertake a transoceanic journey along the ancient Gujarat-Oman trade route later this year, reinforcing its role as a living testament to India's seafaring past. The project, formalised in July 2023 through an agreement between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and M/s Hodi Innovations, was funded by the Ministry of Culture. Construction began with the keel-laying in September 2023 and culminated in the ship's launch in Goa in February 2025. A team of artisans from Kerala, led by master shipwright Babu Sankaran, employed a traditional stitching technique, using coir rope, coconut fibre, and natural resin to join wooden planks. This method, preserved by a single family, was guided by designs derived from Ajanta Cave paintings, as no original blueprints reportedly exist. The Indian Navy oversaw the technical aspects, collaborating with IIT Madras's Department of Ocean Engineering for hydrodynamic testing and internal assessments to ensure the vessel's seaworthiness. The absence of modern fasteners like screws underscores the authenticity of the construction, which relied entirely on historical methods to recreate the hull and rigging.
India Gazette
21-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Indian Navy inducts historic ship 'Kaundinya' built using ancient techniques
Karwar (Karnataka) [India], May 21 (ANI): The Indian Navy inducted INSV Kaundinya, a ship reconstructed using ancient shipbuilding techniques, into its fleet at the Karwar Naval Base on Wednesday. The ceremony was led by Union Minister of Tourism and Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and was attended by Vice Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition (CWP&A), Rear Admiral KM Ramakrishnan, Flag Officer Karnataka Naval Area, and other dignitaries. According to a release, INSV Kaundinya is a stitched sail ship, based on a 5th century CE ship depicted in the paintings of Ajanta Caves. The project was initiated through a tripartite agreement signed in Jul 2023 between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and M/s Hodi Innovations, with funding from the Ministry of Culture. Following the keel laying in September 2023, the vessel's construction was undertaken using a traditional method of stitching by a team of skilled artisans from Kerala, led by master shipwright Shri Babu Sankaran. Over several months, the team painstakingly stitched wooden planks on the ship's hull using coir rope, coconut fibre and natural resin. The ship was launched in Feb 2025 at Goa. Speaking at the event, Union Minister of Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, 'It is a historic and important day. India's ancient maritime capabilities and ship-building skills have been revived. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Economic Advisor, Sanjeev Sanyal, was the first to research this. Reconstructed from a 5th-century Ajanta painting, the ship was built using the ancient stitching technique. No screws have been used in its construction and has been built by the only remaining family who know this art. This is not just an ancient technique of ship-building, but a resurgence of Indian history. I feel blessed to be here. Such a legacy ship can be used for tourism in the future.' The Indian Navy played a central role in the project, overseeing the design, technical validation, and construction process. With no surviving blueprints of such vessels, the design had to be inferred from iconographic sources. The Navy collaborated with the shipbuilder to recreate the hull form and traditional rigging, and ensured that the design was validated through hydrodynamic model testing at the Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras, and internal technical assessment. The newly inducted vessel incorporates several culturally significant features. Her sails display motifs of the Gandabherunda and the Sun, her bow bears a sculpted Simha Yali , and a symbolic Harappan style stone anchor adorns her deck, each element evoking the rich maritime traditions of ancient India. Named after Kaundinya, the legendary Indian mariner who sailed across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia, the ship serves as a tangible symbol of India's long-standing traditions of maritime exploration, trade, and cultural exchange. Inducted as an Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV), Kaundinya will be based at Karwar. The ship will now embark on her next historic phase, involving preparations for a transoceanic voyage along the ancient trade route from Gujarat to Oman, scheduled for later this year. (ANI)
