The Indian Navy is set to induct and name a recreated fifth-century stitched ship at Karwar Naval Base, with Cultural Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat officiating.

The Indian Navy will induct and unveil the name of the ancient stitched ship during a ceremony at Karwar Naval Base Wednesday. Cultural minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will preside over the ceremony as the chief guest, formally marking the induction of the ship into the navy.The stitched ship is a recreation of a fifth century one, inspired by a painting from the Ajanta Caves. The project was formally initiated through a tripartite agreement signed in July 2023, between the ministry of culture, Indian Navy, and M/s Hodi Innovations, with funding from the ministry of culture. The keel laying of the stitched ship was held on Sept 12, 2023.The construction of the ship was carried out using traditional methods and raw materials by artisans from Kerala, led by master shipwright Babu Sankaran, who has executed thousands of hand-stitched joints. The ship was launched in Feb 2025 at M/s Hodi Shipyard, Goa.The Indian Navy oversaw the entire spectrum of implementation of this project, including concept development, design, technical validation, and construction in collaboration with M/s Hodi Innovations and traditional artisans. The design and construction posed unique technical challenges. With no surviving blueprints or physical remnants, the design had to be extrapolated from a two-dimensional artistic iconography. The project demanded a unique interdisciplinary approach, combining archaeological interpretation, naval architecture, hydrodynamic testing, and traditional craftsmanship.