The Indian Navy has officially inducted INSV Kaundinya, a remarkable sailing vessel meticulously reconstructed using ancient Indian shipbuilding techniques. As a tribute to India’s maritime heritage, the ship is inspired by a 5th-century CE vessel depicted in the Ajanta Caves, embodying the country’s rich seafaring traditions. Unlike modern ships, INSV Kaundinya was built using the traditional “stitched ship” method, where wooden planks are joined not with nails or metal fastenings but are carefully stitched together using coir rope, coconut fiber, and natural resin. This intricate craftsmanship was led by master shipwright Shri Babu Sankaran and a skilled team of artisans from Kerala. The project began in July 2023 through a collaboration between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and M/s Hodi Innovations, with the keel laid in September 2023 and the ship launched in February 2025 at Diwar, Goa.
Given the absence of surviving blueprints, the vessel’s design was meticulously inferred from the iconography in the Ajanta Caves. The Indian Navy oversaw the technical validation, working closely with IIT Madras to conduct hydrodynamic model testing and internal assessments, ensuring the ship’s seaworthiness. Beyond its functional design, INSV Kaundinya is rich in cultural symbolism, featuring sails decorated with the Gandabherunda (a mythical two-headed bird) and the Sun, a sculpted Simha Yali on the bow, and a Harappan-style stone anchor. These elements celebrate India’s ancient maritime identity and spiritual connection to the ocean.
Named after Kaundinya, a legendary mariner believed to have voyaged across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia, the vessel stands as a living testament to India’s historic maritime exploration and trade networks. It is based at the Karwar Naval Base and is scheduled to embark on a transoceanic voyage later in 2025, retracing ancient trade routes from Gujarat to Oman.