Tipu Sultan’s major interest in building ships was to

Tipu Sultan's naval ambitions were deeply intertwined with his desire to modernize Mysore's economy and challenge British hegemony. While he recognized the importance of a naval force to fight the English [3], his most distinctive project was the attempt to establish an overseas settlement at Basra (Iraq). This plan aimed to create a commercial and strategic base under his direct control, modeled after the organizational structures of European trading companies [t8]. Tipu sought to bypass European intermediaries by establishing direct trade links and factories in the Persian Gulf, such as at Muscat [t5]. His shipbuilding program, initiated around 1786, was intended to support this vision of a state-led commercial empire that could compete with the British East India Company on equal terms [t3][t9]. This strategic move was part of his broader diplomatic and economic vision to ensure Mysore's prosperity and sovereignty [t2][t4].

Sources

1. [2] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 18: Early Resistance to British Rule > Third Mysore War (1790-92) > p. 281
2. [3] https://www.jstor.org/stable/48541241