NEW DELHI: India and Denmark have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly undertake an underwater archaeological project to locate and document the remains of the historic Danish ship Oresund, which was wrecked off the coast near Karaikal in Puducherry in 1619.
The agreement was signed between the Archaeological Survey of India’s Underwater Archaeology Wing and the National Museum of Denmark’s Njord – Center for Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage in Copenhagen, according to an official statement.
The Oresund holds historical significance as the first known Danish ship to reach India. The vessel was wrecked near Karaikal shortly after arriving in Indian waters, making it an important source for studying early maritime links between Denmark and India as well as trade and navigation in the Indian Ocean during the early seventeenth century.
Under the MoU, the two institutions will conduct a non-invasive archaeological survey using advanced technologies and scientific methods to identify potential shipwreck remains. The investigations will be led by the Underwater Archaeology Wing of the Archaeological Survey of India in collaboration with the National Museum of Denmark.
Officials said the project marks the first international collaborative archaeological initiative undertaken by the Underwater Archaeology Wing of the Archaeological Survey of India. They added that the partnership is expected to enhance academic and scientific cooperation between India and Denmark in underwater cultural heritage research.
The initiative also reflects the commitment of both institutions to documenting, protecting, and studying underwater cultural heritage through international collaboration and the use of non-invasive scientific techniques.
