The Indian Navy's stitched sailing vessel INSV Kaundinya departed Porbandar in Gujarat on December 29, 2025, for its maiden overseas voyage to Muscat, Oman, symbolically retracing ancient maritime trade routes that once connected India with West Asia. The vessel, commanded by Commander Vikas Sheoran and carrying 13 sailors and four officers, is built using the traditional 'sewn ship' technique — a method where planks are stitched together using ropes rather than iron nails — based on a 5th century CE merchant ship depicted in the murals of Cave 17 at the Ajanta Caves complex in Maharashtra. INSV Kaundinya is named after the legendary 1st century Indian mariner Kaundinya, who is believed to have sailed to Southeast Asia and married Queen Soma of Funan (present-day Cambodia). The ship sailed from Karwar Naval Base to Porbandar on December 13, 2025, and commenced the transoceanic voyage on December 29. The voyage is part of the Indian Navy's 'Voyage Across Time' initiative to showcase India's 5,000-year-old maritime heritage, revive ancient shipbuilding traditions, and demonstrate India's historical role as a dominant Indian Ocean power. Commander Y. Hemant Kumar, associated with the project since its conceptualisation, serves as Officer-in-Charge of the expedition. The vessel successfully reached Muscat on January 14, 2026, completing the 18-day voyage, and was ceremonially flagged into Mumbai Harbour on March 2, 2026.
INSV Kaundinya Sets Sail from Porbandar to Muscat on December 29, Retracing India's 5,000-Year-Old Ancient Maritime Routes
The Indian Navy's stitched sailing vessel INSV Kaundinya departed Porbandar in Gujarat on December 29, 2025, for its maiden overseas voyage to Muscat, Oman, symbolically retracing ancient maritime trade routes that once connected India with West Asia. The vessel, commanded by Commander Vikas Sheoran and carrying 13 sailors and four officers, is built using the traditional 'sewn ship' technique — a method where planks are stitched together using ropes rather than iron nails — based on a 5th century CE merchant ship depicted in the murals of Cave 17 at the Ajanta Caves complex in Maharashtra. INSV Kaundinya is named after the legendary 1st century Indian mariner Kaundinya, who is believed to have sailed to Southeast Asia and married Queen Soma of Funan (present-day Cambodia). The ship sailed from Karwar Naval Base to Porbandar on December 13, 2025, and commenced the transoceanic voyage on December 29. The voyage is part of the Indian Navy's 'Voyage Across Time' initiative to showcase India's 5,000-year-old maritime heritage, revive ancient shipbuilding traditions, and demonstrate India's historical role as a dominant Indian Ocean power. Commander Y. Hemant Kumar, associated with the project since its conceptualisation, serves as Officer-in-Charge of the expedition. The vessel successfully reached Muscat on January 14, 2026, completing the 18-day voyage, and was ceremonially flagged into Mumbai Harbour on March 2, 2026.
Key facts
- INSV Kaundinya departed Porbandar on December 29, 2025, for its maiden voyage to Muscat, Oman.
- The vessel symbolically retraces ancient maritime trade routes connecting India with West Asia.
- It is built using the traditional 'sewn ship' technique with ropes instead of iron nails.
- The design is based on a 5th-century depiction from Cave 17 of Ajanta in Maharashtra.
- Commander Vikas Sheoran led a crew of 13 sailors and four officers on the voyage.
- The voyage highlights India's 5,000-year-old maritime heritage and trade connections.
Mains angle
Q: Discuss the historical significance of INSV Kaundinya's voyage from Porbandar to Muscat in reviving India's ancient maritime heritage.
Answer (50 words):
The Navy's stitched vessel INSV Kaundinya left Porbandar on December 29, 2025, reaching Muscat on January 14, 2026 — an 18-day voyage. Built using the sewn-ship technique from 5th-century Ajanta Cave-17 murals, named after the 1st-century mariner Kaundinya, it retraces India's 5,000-year-old maritime routes under the Voyage Across Time initiative.
Static prep for this topic
Read the permanent syllabus behind this story.
6-axis classification
Appears in these topics
Practice MCQ from this story
SolveTap an option below. Correct or incorrect feedback appears instantly.
INSV Kaundinya is named after the legendary 1st century Indian mariner Kaundinya, who is believed to have sailed to and married a queen in which present-day country?
INSV Kaundinya is named after the legendary 1st century Indian mariner Kaundinya, who is believed to have sailed to Southeast Asia and married Queen Soma of Funan (present-day Cambodia). The voyage is part of the Indian Navy's 'Voyage Across Time' initiative to showcase India's 5,000-year-old maritime heritage.
Source: News on Air (PIB) / Tribune India / Defence News India / ANI News / Deccan Herald
Frequently asked questions
What is INSV Kaundinya and when did it depart on its maiden overseas voyage?
INSV Kaundinya is the Indian Navy's traditional stitched sailing vessel built using the ancient 'sewn ship' technique. It departed Porbandar, Gujarat, on December 29, 2025, for its maiden overseas voyage to Muscat, Oman.
What construction technique was used to build INSV Kaundinya and what is its historical basis?
INSV Kaundinya was built using the traditional 'sewn ship' technique where planks are stitched together with ropes instead of iron nails. The design is based on a 5th-century depiction found in Cave 17 of the Ajanta caves in Maharashtra, reflecting India's 5,000-year-old maritime heritage.
Who commanded INSV Kaundinya on its voyage to Muscat and what was the crew strength?
Commander Vikas Sheoran commanded the voyage to Muscat, Oman. The vessel carried 13 sailors and four officers, making it a total crew of 17 personnel aboard INSV Kaundinya.
What is the historical significance of the maritime route retraced by INSV Kaundinya?
The voyage symbolically retraces ancient maritime trade routes that once connected India with West Asia, highlighting India's seafaring traditions going back 5,000 years. These routes were key to early trade in commodities such as spices, textiles, and metals between the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian Peninsula.
Was this useful?
Share corrections or missing exam angles with the editorial team.
Send feedback