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Showing posts with the label India's maritime tradition

History and evolution of the Indian navy

Ship building in ancient Calicut coast ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons /  BRAUN AND HOGENBERG) When we talk about the Indian navy, what nobody realities is the fact that India has a rich and varied maritime tradition dating back to the Indus civilization. Like the Chinese, India was a major trading hub and had extensive links with ancient Egypt and other civilization. As we celebrate the navy week, it is time to take a look at the history and the evolution of the Indian navy: Early years: India has a rich maritime history dating back 5,000 years.The world's first tidal dock is believed to have been built at Lothal around 2300 BCE during the Indus Valley Civilization, near the present day Mangrol harbour on the Gujarat coast. The Rig Vedas written around 1700 BCE, credits Varuna with knowledge of the ocean routes and describes naval expeditions. There is reference to the side wings of a vessel called Plava, which give stability to the ship under storm conditions