Significant powers such as the Mughal Empire had paid less attention to building the naval arm of their military forces. This scenario changed, however, when the Portuguese arrived in India and started monopolizing and controlling trade on the western coast of the continent. Shivaji Maharaj realized the importance of a strong navy and commissioned the building of the first Maratha naval vessels.

He took up the task of constructing multiple naval bases along the coast of present-day Maharashtra. His ships gradually began to patrol the coast in increasing numbers, ‘defying the Portuguese, the Dutch, the Siddies, and the English and (in all) approximately twenty-seven hostile powers. In this manner, it soon came to be regarded as a formidable fighting force, a veritable army upon the high seas.

The Maratha Navy was primarily a coastal “green water” navy, compared to an ocean-going or “blue water” navy. Their ships were dependent on land/sea breezes. The Maratha did not build ships large enough to engage the British out at sea far from the coastal waters.

Note: All images and information provided in the post are taken from data collected by several reports of authors, experts, historians available in the open domain along with consultation with other history experts as well.

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