Indian Navy inducts historic ship 'Kaundinya' built using ancient techniques

The newly inducted vessel incorporates several culturally significant features.(Photo: X/@indiannavy)

The Indian Navy on Wednesday inducted a traditionally built stitched ship as INSV Kaundinya, at a ceremony held at the strategically located Karwar naval base in Karnataka.

It is a recreation of a fifth-century vessel and is named after Kaundinya, a legendary Indian mariner who sailed across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia, officials said.

The ship serves as a tangible symbol of India's long-standing traditions of maritime exploration, trade, and cultural exchange, and its induction and naming marks a culmination of an "extraordinary project" that celebrates India's rich shipbuilding heritage, they said.

"The Indian Navy formally inducted and named the stitched ship as Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Kaundinya today at a ceremonial event held at the Karwar naval base. Union Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat presided over the event," a Navy spokesperson said.

#IndianNavy inducted the stitched sail vessel INSV Kaundinya at Karwar.The vessel is a recreation of a 5th century CE Ajanta painting using traditional methods.Honble Minister of Culture Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat presided over the ceremony.@MinOfCultureGoI@gssjodhpurpic.twitter.com/6sVRpesUzO

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SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) May 21, 2025

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," he said.

INSV Kaundinya will be based at Karwar. The ship will now embark on her next historic phase, involving preparations for a trans-oceanic voyage along the ancient trade route from Gujarat to Oman, scheduled for later this year, the Navy spokesperson said.

Unlike any modern vessel, the stitched ship is equipped with square sails and steering oars, which are "entirely alien to modern-day ships". The hull geometry, rigging, and sails had to be reimagined and tested from first principles, according to the Navy.