The Indian Navy’s stitched sailing vessel INSV Kaundinya is set to undertake her maiden overseas voyage on December 29. The vessel will sail from Porbandar in Gujarat to Muscat, Oman.

Officials said the voyage is intended to symbolically reconnect modern India with historical sea lanes that once facilitated trade, cultural exchange and navigation between the Indian subcontinent and regions such as West Asia.

INSV Kaundinya has been built using traditional stitched-plank construction techniques, a method that was widely practised along India’s coastline in ancient times.

Unlike modern vessels that rely on metal fastenings, the ship’s wooden planks are stitched together using coconut coir rope and sealed with natural resins.

According to the Defence Ministry, this form of construction enabled Indian mariners to undertake long-distance ocean voyages to West Asia, Africa and Southeast Asia well before the development of modern navigation tools and advanced metallurgy.

The ministry described the vessel as a rare combination of historical design, traditional craftsmanship and contemporary naval expertise.

The ship was inspired by depictions of ancient Indian vessels and developed through extensive research to ensure that it meets modern seaworthiness standards while preserving traditional techniques.

The project was executed under a tripartite agreement between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and Hodi Innovations, as part of efforts to rediscover and revive India’s indigenous knowledge systems.

Officials stated that the vessel was constructed by traditional artisans under the guidance of master shipwright Babu Sankaran, with technical support provided by the Indian Navy and academic institutions for design validation and testing.

The ship has been declared fully seaworthy and capable of undertaking oceanic navigation.

INSV Kaundinya is named after the legendary mariner Kaundinya, who is believed to have sailed from India to Southeast Asia in ancient times. The upcoming voyage to Oman will be the first overseas deployment of the vessel.

References: newsonair, The Hindu