INSV Kaundinya, Indian Navy’s pioneering stitched sailing vessel sets sail on maiden overseas voyage

New Delhi: Long before maps were certain and oceans had names, ships like INSV Kaundinya crossed these waters. Built as they once were, with wood stitched by hand and guided by wind alone, she sails today in the footsteps of ancient mariners.

INSV Kaundinya, the Indian Navy’s stitched sailing vessel, is on her maiden overseas voyage.

On December 29, 2025, the vessel was flagged off from Porbandar, Gujarat. She will sail to Muscat, Oman. She will retrace the ancient sea routes that connected India with other regions of the Indian Ocean for thousands of years.

INSV Kaundinya is built using traditional stitched-plank methods inspired by ancient Indian ships, specifically a 5th century CE ship depicted in the paintings of Ajanta Caves.

INSV Kaundinya, is a ship built using an ancient method where the wooden planks of the hull are stitched together instead of being fixed with metal nails or bolts. Strong coconut coir ropes are passed through holes drilled along the edges of wooden planks. These planks are then tightly stitched together. The joints are sealed with natural resins and fibres to make the hull watertight.

This technique was used in India and other Indian Ocean regions for centuries. Stitched vessels were flexible, allowing them to absorb the force of waves without breaking, which made them well-suited for long sea voyages. Using such ships, ancient Indian sailors travelled to West Asia, Africa, and Southeast Asia. INSV Kaundinya follows this same traditional method. She is a combination of ancient shipbuilding knowledge with modern testing and safety checks. Kaundinya reflects how early Indian mariners successfully crossed open oceans using wind, skill, and experience alone.

The project was carried out through a three-party agreement between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and M/s Hodi Innovations, as part of India’s efforts to rediscover and revive indigenous knowledge systems. The vessel was built by traditional artisans mostly from Kerala under the guidance of master shipwright Shri Babu Sankaran.

Keel laying of INSV Kaundinya was held in September 2023. Over several months, the team carefully stitched together the wooden planks of the ship’s hull using coir rope, coconut fibre, and natural resin. The ship was launched in February 2025 at Goa.

The Indian Navy played a key role in the project by overseeing the design, technical validation, and construction of the vessel. As no original blueprints of such ships exist, the design was recreated using images and artistic depictions from historical sources. The Navy worked closely with the shipbuilder to develop the hull shape and traditional sail rigging, and ensured the design was tested through hydrodynamic model studies at the Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras, along with internal technical evaluations.

The vessel is named after the legendary mariner Kaundinya, who is believed to have sailed from India to Southeast Asia in ancient times. Through this name and her design, the ship reflects India’s long and proud maritime heritage. She features several culturally significant designs. Her sails carry motifs of the Gandabherunda, a mythological two-headed bird symbolizing strength, power, and protection, and the Sun. The bow is decorated with a sculpted Simha Yali, a mythological lion-like creature representing courage and guardianship. A Harappan-style stone anchor sits on her deck. Each element reflects India’s rich maritime traditions, making the ship a living symbol of the nation’s long history of seafaring, trade and cultural exchange.