Indian Navy inducts traditionally-built stitched INSV Kaundinya – a recreation of 5th-century ship

Karwar: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.

India's traditions of maritime exploration

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.

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.

The culture ministry in September 2023 said it collaborated with the Navy and Hodi Innovations, Goa as part of an initiative launched by the Centre to reconstruct the ancient ship, reminiscent of the ships that once sailed the oceans on India's ancient maritime trade routes.

The project was formally initiated through a tripartite agreement signed in July 2023 among them, with funding from the Ministry of Culture.

The keel laying of the ship took place in September 2023.

"The stitched ship is a recreation of a 5th century CE ship, inspired by a painting from the Ajanta Caves," a Navy spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Shekhawat, in a post on X, termed the induction of the traditionally-built stitched ship as akin to "rewriting history".

In another post on X, he described it as, "A historic moment for Bharat and our civilisational pride."

"This is not just the launch of a vessel -- it is the launch of heritage. A symbolic act that echoes across centuries, marking the resurgence of India's maritime legacy and reaffirming our deep and enduring ties with the Indian Ocean world," the Union minister said.

The Union culture and tourism minister, in his address on the occasion, said the vision of 'Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi' espoused by Prime Minister Narendra Modi can be felt here.

"This initiative reflects the spirit of 'Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi' -- where development walks hand in hand with civilisational resurgence, and tradition becomes a cornerstone of transformation. Honoured to witness this proud confluence of legacy, craftsmanship, and nationhood," he added in his post.

Shekhawat also said the INSV Kaundinya "adds another dimension" to the country's rich maritime heritage.

Such initiatives of the Centre are helping in boosting defence-related tourism, he was quoted as saying by a senior official in his office.

The ship's construction was carried out entirely using traditional methods and with raw materials by artisans from Kerala, led by master shipwright Babu Sankaran, who executed thousands of hand-stitched joints, officials said on Tuesday.

The ship was launched in February 2025 at Hodi Shipyard, Goa.

The Navy has "overseen the entire spectrum" of implementation of this project, including concept development, design, technical validation and construction in collaboration with Hodi Innovations and traditional artisans, the official said.

The design and construction posed "unique technical challenges," he said.

"With no surviving blueprints or physical remnants, the design had to be extrapolated from a two-dimensional artistic iconography. The project demanded a unique interdisciplinary approach, combining archaeological interpretation, naval architecture, hydrodynamic testing and traditional craftsmanship," the spokesperson earlier said.

The vessel not only reaffirms India's rich shipbuilding legacy, but also reflects the Navy's commitment to preserving and operationalising the living traditions of India's maritime heritage, it said.

The project was approved by the National Implementation Committee, chaired by the Union home minister, as a commemoration project.