Overview
- The two‑masted sailing ship departed Porbandar on December 29 bound for Muscat, covering roughly 800 nautical miles solely under wind power.
- Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan led the flag‑off in Porbandar with Oman’s ambassador Issa Saleh Al Shibani in attendance.
- Constructed without engines or metal fastenings, the hull’s wooden planks are stitched with coconut coir rope and sealed with natural resins.
- The expedition is crewed by four officers and thirteen sailors under skipper Commander Vikas Sheoran, with Commander Y. Hemant Kumar as officer‑in‑charge.
- Developed under a Ministry of Culture–Indian Navy–Hodi Innovations program, the Ajanta‑derived design was validated through hydrodynamic and stability testing, including work at IIT Madras, before its May 2025 induction.