India’s maritime ambitions begin in waste bins
On 19 February, as India celebrated the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a wooden sailing vessel named INSV Kaundinya was completing a remarkable voyage across the Arabian Sea to Oman.
The Indian Navy’s pioneering stitched sailing vessel, INSV Kaundinya, began its maiden overseas journey on Monday. Departing from Porbandar, Gujarat, the 65-feet-long vessel is sailing towards Muscat, Oman, retracing ancient maritime routes that once linked the western coast of India with the Arabian Peninsula.
| #INSVKaundinya has set sail on its historic maiden voyage from Porbandar to #Oman as a 5th-century-inspired stitched vessel built using #Kerala’s traditional craftsmanship, marking a proud revival of India’s ancient maritime heritage and spirit of exploration.… pic.x.com/jOXe1b0QSH
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— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) December 30, 2025
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A historic flag-off
The launch of INSV Kaundinya was marked by a formal flag-off ceremony attended by Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command.
Issa Saleh Al Shibani, the Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to India, was also present.
Vice Admiral Swaminathan praised the vessel as a “rare convergence of history, craftsmanship, and naval innovation”. He highlighted how this project revives centuries-old shipbuilding techniques and showcases them on modern stage.
PM Narendra Modi congratulates the #IndianNavy as INSV Kaundinya begins its maiden voyage from Porbandar to Muscat. Built using the traditional stitched-ship technique, the vessel showcases India’s maritime heritage. He sends best wishes to the crew in his tweet.@INSVKaundinya… pic.x.com/cLu4r8Waum
— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) December 29, 2025
A vessel inspired by history
INSV Kaundinya’s design draws inspiration from 5th-century CE merchant ship depicted in murals of Cave 17 at Ajanta Caves complex. Built using traditional stitched-plank techniques, vessel employs natural fibers and resins instead of metal nails. This is a method that ancient Indian mariners used to prevent corrosion in seawater.
The ship’s planks are tied together with coir rope. Its hull features intricate motifs such as the Gandabherunda (two-headed eagle), Sun, Simha Yali, and even a Harappan-style stone anchor on deck. Its square sails and steering oars are radically different from modern vessels requiring the crew to rely on skills and techniques largely lost to time.
How INSV Kaundinya got its name
The vessel gets its name from Kaundinya I, a legendary first-century Indian mariner. According to history, Kaundinya sailed to Southeast Asia and married Queen Soma of Funan. He became second king of Funan kingdom that encompassed parts of modern Cambodia. His journey marks one of the earliest documented instances of Indian mariners reaching far-off lands leaving a lasting impact on world history.
Economist, historian, and author Sanjeev Sanyal explains, “Though India has had a rich maritime culture since the Bronze Age, we do not know the names of the mariners who crossed the seas. Kaundinya is the first one whose name we know, and his voyages are recorded in Cambodian and Southern Vietnamese sources, even though Indian records remain silent.”
The making of INSV Kaundinya
The idea of recreating an ancient Indian sailing vessel was first proposed by Sanjeev Sanyal and brought to life by Commander Hemanth Kumar, a naval architect with the Indian Navy.
The project was funded by the Ministry of Culture through a tripartite agreement involving the Ministry, the Indian Navy, and Goa-based shipbuilding company M/s Hodi Innovations (OPC) Private Ltd, signed in July 2023.
The keel of the ship was laid in September 2023. And after nearly two years of work, the ship was commissioned on 21 May 2025. The Indian Navy oversaw design, technical validation and construction process.
Craftsmanship and technical collaboration
Without original blueprints, team of Indian Navy officers and Kerala artisans, led by master shipwright Babu Sankaran and builder Prathamesh Dandekar, recreated this ship using references from ancient texts and murals.
The Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras assisted in validating the vessel’s hydrodynamic behaviour. In-house structural analyses ensured that wooden mast system and other elements could withstand rigors of open-sea voyages.
Every detail from hull geometry to rigging and sails underwent reimagining and testing from first principles.
Ancient techniques revived
INSV Kaundinya is constructed using the “stitched shipbuilding” method, where wooden planks are fastened using natural fibers like coir, and sealed with natural resin. This method, described in the 11th-century treatise Yukti Kalpataru, mirrors practices seen in other parts of the ancient world and prevents corrosion without modern metals.
The vessel is tangible symbol of India’s maritime traditions of exploration, trade and cultural exchange.
INSV Kaundinya voyage details
With a crew of 18 sailors, the ship will cover a distance of 1,400 kilometers. It will reach Oman after approximately 15 days at sea. The journey will retrace ancient maritime routes that were historically in use for trade and cultural exchange between India and Oman.
But before embarking on the overseas voyage, INSV Kaundinya sailed from Karwar Naval Base to Porbandar on 13 December 2025. It took 8-10 days. At Porbandar, the crew received harbor training in rigging, carpentry, and traditional sailing techniques from expert artisans.
How does this strengthen India-Oman ties
The voyage is expected to enhance bilateral relations between India and Oman emphasising shared maritime heritage.
The arrival of INSV Kaundinya in Muscat will serve as a symbol of enduring friendship, mutual trust, and respect between the two nations.
Through INSV Kaundinya, the Indian Navy demonstrates its commitment to maritime diplomacy, heritage preservation, and regional cooperation.
Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan emphasised that the voyage is more than a tribute to history. According to him, it is an active exercise in cultural diplomacy.
Technical features and design
INSV Kaundinya is equipped with square sails and steering oars. These techniques are largely unknown to modern sailors. It has hull motifs such as Gandabherunda (two-headed eagle), Sun, and Simha Yali on the bow. It also has Harappan-style stone anchor on deck. In addition, it has stitched-plank construction using coir ropes and natural resins.
INSV Kaundinya: Key milestones
July 2023: Tripartite agreement signed between Ministry of Culture, Indian Navy, and Hodi Innovations
September 2023: Keel laying of INSV Kaundinya
February 2025: Ship launch
21 May 2025: Formal induction into Indian Navy
13 December 2025: Departure from Karwar Naval Base to Porbandar
29 December 2025: Maiden transoceanic voyage to Oman begins
With its traditional stitched-plank design, natural materials, and faithful recreation of a 5th-century ship, it stands as a living tribute to India’s maritime heritage.
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