INSV Kaundinya looks like a ghost ship that emerged straight from an ancient past, but it's brand-new and has just set sail on its maiden voyage. This awe-inspiring sailing ship with no engine or modern propulsion belongs to the Indian Navy, but it's not meant for combat. This is a living masterpiece that intertwines ancient design and traditional techniques with contemporary naval architecture.
On December 29, an ancient-looking ship sailed from Gujarat, India, to Muscat, Oman. This symbolic journey is meant to retrace ancient maritime routes that connected India's western coast with Oman. The vessel itself is a powerful symbol. It's not just an engine-free ship without any modern propulsion and relying entirely on traditional sails; it was built using the traditional "stitching" technique, and it represents a tribute to India's unique maritime craftsmanship.
Stitching refers to an ancient stitched-plank shipbuilding technique, where timber planks are stitched together with coconut fiber rope and then sealed with natural resins and oils. The result looks amazing, and the most impressive part is that this technique was used along India's coastline in ancient times.
INSV Kaundinya is less than 20 meters long (19.6 meters/64 feet) and 6.5 meters (21 feet) wide, and it's powered entirely by wind, just like a classic sailing ship, with a crew of approximately 15 people handling its sails. Although based on ancient designs, an actual blueprint wasn't available, so the team behind this bold project had to recreate them using only the limited visual sources available and complex hydrodynamic studies.
The ship was then crafted by hand, just like ancient ships, by a team of traditional craftsmen in Kerala. The completed vessel displays a series of traditional symbols from the Indian heritage, such as Gandabherunda, the two-headed eagle of the Kadamba dynasty, and sun motifs on the sails.
INSV Kaundinya is the result of a joint project led by the Indian Navy and India's Ministry of Culture, together with Hodi Innovations. The project was officially launched in 2023, and in February 2025, the new ship made its debut and was formally inducted into the Indian Navy a few months later, even though it will obviously not participate in any military operations.
The new stitching sailing ship was named after a first-century Indian mariner. Partly a historic figure and partly a mythical hero, Kaundinya is considered to be the earliest known Indian sailor who had a major geopolitical impact by helping establish the Kingdom of Funan (currently located in Cambodia).
A masterpiece in terms of craftsmanship and ancient beauty, the new INSV Kaundinya is already timeless. It's an awe-inspiring tribute to the past and to India's maritime heritage, as well as a fine example of contemporary maritime studies and technology – in other words, the perfect marriage between past and present.