Archive · 8 Jan 2026
INSV Kaundinya Reclaims India's Ancient Maritime Legacy
The Indian Navy has a special ship called INSV Kaundinya that was built using very old Indian methods.
This ship is made by stitching wood together with natural ropes instead of using nails or metal.
It's like a time machine that shows how people in ancient India used to build ships and travel across the ocean.
The ship is going on its first big trip from India to Oman, following the same paths that Indian traders used thousands of years ago.
This trip is important because it proves that India was a big part of global trade and exploration long before other countries like Europe started exploring the world.
The ship is slow and doesn't have modern technology, but that's on purpose because it's meant to be just like the ships from long ago.
This project helps Indians remember and be proud of their history as great sailors and traders.
INSV Kaundinya, a 20-meter-long stitched sailing vessel, embarks on its maiden voyage from Porbandar to Muscat, Oman, retracing ancient maritime routes.
The ship is built using traditional Indian techniques, stitched with coir rope and coconut fibre without any metal fasteners, replicating a 1,500-year-old design from Ajanta cave paintings.
The project, initiated by economist Sanjeev Sanyal, took three years to complete and is a collaboration between the Ministry of Culture and the Indian Navy.
INSV Kaundinya's voyage aims to reclaim India's forgotten maritime history and demonstrate its ancient trade links with the Gulf region and Southeast Asia.
The ship's design and construction are intentionally authentic, using only traditional materials and methods to prove the capabilities of ancient Indian shipbuilding.
- Who
- Indian Navy and traditional artisans
- What
- Maiden voyage of INSV Kaundinya, a stitched sailing vessel built using ancient Indian techniques
- When
- December 29, 2025, with ongoing progress as of January 8, 2026
- Where
- From Porbandar, India, to Muscat, Oman, along ancient maritime routes
- Why
- To reclaim and demonstrate India's ancient maritime prowess and historical trade links
- Ship Name
- INSV Kaundinya
- Length
- 20 metres
- Construction Technique
- Stitched using coir rope and coconut fibre
- Maiden Voyage Route
- Porbandar to Muscat, Oman
- Crew Size
- 15 members
- Project Initiator
- Sanjeev Sanyal
- Construction Time
- 3 years
- Historical Inspiration
- 1,500-year-old Ajanta cave painting