The Indian Navy has formally inducted and launched the INSV Kaundinya, a reconstructed 5th-century stitched sailing vessel designed to honor the nation’s ancient maritime history. The project, a collaboration between the Indian Navy, the Ministry of Culture, and various academic institutions, culminated in a ceremony at the Naval Base in Karwar led by Federal Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
The vessel is a reconstruction of a ship depicted in the Ajanta cave murals. Measuring 65 feet in length and 22 feet in width, the 50-ton ship was built entirely without the use of nails, welding, or modern propulsion systems. Instead, traditional shipwrights from Kerala used ancient “stitched-ship” techniques, fastening wooden planks with coir rope, coconut fiber, and natural resin. While the ship lacks an engine, it features historically accurate components such as square cotton sails, trailing oars, a flexible hull, and a Harappan-style stone anchor.
The ship is named after Kaundinya, an ancient Indian mariner credited with establishing the Funan kingdom in present-day Cambodia. The design process involved extensive research to ensure both historical authenticity and seaworthiness. This included iconography analysis by historians and archaeologists, followed by hydrodynamic testing at IIT Madras. To reflect its cultural roots, the vessel’s sails are adorned with the Gandabherunda – a two-headed eagle, while the bow features a sculpted Simha Yali, a mythical creature in Indian art.
Following its induction, the INSV Kaundinya departed from India’s Porbandar port on its maiden transoceanic voyage to Muscat, Oman. This engineless journey covers approximately 750 nautical miles and is expected to take 15 days. A crew of 16 members is navigating the vessel, relying solely on wind patterns to retrace trade routes once used by Indian merchants over a millennium ago.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi commended the artisans and the Navy for the project, noting that the expedition serves to revitalize historical links between India and the Gulf region.
“This project is not just about reviving a ship,” said Minister Shekhawat, “it is about reviving a legacy of exploration, trade, and the ingenuity of our ancestors who mastered the seas long before modern navigation.”
