Overview
- The ship received a water salute and a ceremonial welcome at Port Sultan Qaboos, with Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and senior Omani and Indian officials in attendance.
- Crewed by four officers and 13 sailors under Commander Vikas Sheoran with Commander Y Hemant Kumar as officer-in-charge, the vessel departed Porbandar on December 29 and made landfall on January 14.
- Conceived under a July 2023 tripartite agreement funded by India’s Ministry of Culture, the vessel was hand-stitched by Kerala artisans led by master shipwright Babu Sankaran using coir rope, coconut fibre and natural resins.
- The design, inspired by a 5th-century Ajanta painting, was validated by the Indian Navy through hydrodynamic model testing at IIT Madras and internal technical assessments.
- Sonowal met Omani Transport Minister Said bin Hamood bin Said Al Mawali to discuss expanding maritime cooperation, as Indian officials framed the voyage as a symbol of deep civilisational ties during the 70th year of diplomatic relations.