INSV Kaundinya Begins Maiden Overseas Voyage to Oman

INSV Kaundinya, the Indian Navy’s pioneering stitched sailing vessel, commenced her maiden overseas voyage to Oman on December 29, 2025. The ship was flagged off from Porbandar in Gujarat and is sailing to Muscat, symbolically retracing ancient maritime routes that once connected India with the wider Indian Ocean world.

Reviving Ancient Shipbuilding Traditions
Unlike modern ships, INSV Kaundinya has been constructed using traditional stitched-ship technology. Wooden planks are stitched together with coconut coir rope and sealed with natural resins, a technique historically prevalent along India’s coasts and across the Indian Ocean. This method enabled Indian mariners to undertake long-distance voyages to West Asia, Africa and Southeast Asia centuries before the advent of modern navigation and metallurgy.

Inspired by Ajanta Cave Paintings
The vessel is based on a 5th century CE ship depicted in the Ajanta Cave paintings. Its construction began with keel laying in September 2023 and was carried out by a team of skilled artisans from Kerala, led by master shipwright Babu Sankaran. The ship was launched in Goa in February 2025.

Cultural and Symbolic Features
INSV Kaundinya reflects India’s rich maritime heritage through its design elements. The sails bear motifs of the Gandabherunda and the Sun, the bow features a sculpted Simha Yali, and a symbolic Harappan-style stone anchor adorns the deck, evoking ancient Indian seafaring traditions.

A Collaborative Heritage Project
The project was undertaken under a tripartite agreement involving the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy and Hodi Innovations. It forms part of India’s broader effort to rediscover and revive indigenous knowledge systems and traditional technologies.

Legacy of Maritime Exploration
Named after Kaundinya, the ancient Indian mariner who sailed across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia, the vessel stands as a tangible symbol of India’s long-standing traditions of maritime exploration, trade and cultural exchange. The maiden voyage to Oman underscores India’s historical connections with West Asia and reinforces its civilisational maritime legacy.