INSV Kaundinya's historic voyage to Muscat a proud moment for India

Indian Navy's indigenously built stitched sailing vessel, INSV 'Kaundinya', completed its historic 18-day voyage from Gujarat to Muscat, Oman. The journey was hailed by officials as a proud, historic moment for India's maritime capabilities.

A Historic Arrival in Muscat

Indian Navy's Commodore Amit Srivastava said the journey was a historic moment and praised the Indian Navy crew for handling all challenges, after the indigenously built sailing vessel INSV 'Kaundinya' completed its 18-day voyage from Gujarat's Porbandar and reached Muscat on Wednesday. Speaking to ANI in Port Sultan Qaboos, Srivastava said, "The architects and officers of the Indian Navy, DRDO and others were involved in constructing this ship. Its testing was done by teams of Indian Navy..It is a historic moment when the ship has completed its journey from Porbandar to Muscat in 16 days. The Indian Navy trained crew can face any challenges...The ship, after undergoing necessary checks and repairs, will start its return journey to India."

Businessmen Kiran Ashar and Anil Khimji, who were present to witness the arrival of the indigenously built sailing vessel INSV 'Kaundinya', expressed their excitement and joy as the ship completed its historic voyage. "We are so happy - 'Seena 56 ka ho gaya hai'. We had also gone to Porbandar for the flagging-off ceremony. It was an emotional moment. Everyone is happy that the ship has reached Oman," Ashar told ANI. Businessman Anil Khimji said," We are waiting for the ship to dock. We are very excited."

The Voyage Details

The Indian Navy's indigenously built traditional stitched sailing vessel INSV Kaundinya successfully completed its historic 18-day voyage and reached Muscat, Oman today. The ship had departed from Gujarat's Porbandar on December 29, 2025. Skippered by Commander Vikas Sheoran, while Commander Y Hemant Kumar, who has been associated with the project since its conceptualisation, served as the Officer-in-Charge of the expedition. The crew comprises four officers and thirteen naval sailors. Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council member Sanjeev Sanyal, who was part of the crew, shared daily updates about the ship on social media.

Reviving Ancient Shipbuilding Techniques

Project Genesis and Design Inspiration

INSV Kaundinya is a stitched sail ship, based on a 5th-century CE ship depicted in the paintings of Ajanta Caves. The project was initiated through a tripartite agreement signed in Jul 2023 between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and M/s Hodi Innovations, with funding from the Ministry of Culture.

Traditional Stitched Construction

Following the keel laying in September 2023, the vessel's construction was undertaken using a traditional method of stitching by a team of skilled artisans from Kerala, led by master shipwright Babu Sankaran. Over several months, the team painstakingly stitched wooden planks on the ship's hull using coir rope, coconut fibre and natural resin. The ship was launched in February 2025 at Goa.

Indian Navy's Technical Oversight

The Indian Navy played a central role in the project, overseeing the design, technical validation, and construction process. With no surviving blueprints of such vessels, the design had to be inferred from iconographic sources. The Navy collaborated with the shipbuilder to recreate the hull form and traditional rigging, and ensured that the design was validated through hydrodynamic model testing at the Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras, and internal technical assessment.

A Floating Symbol of Indian Heritage

The newly inducted vessel incorporates several culturally significant features. Her sails display motifs of the Gandabherunda and the Sun, her bow bears a sculpted Simha Yali, and a symbolic Harappan-style stone anchor adorns her deck, each element evoking the rich maritime traditions of ancient India.

Named after Kaundinya, the legendary Indian mariner who sailed across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia, the ship serves as a tangible symbol of India's long-standing traditions of maritime exploration, trade, and cultural exchange. (ANI)

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