The Indian sailing vessel INSV Kaundinya has marked a significant milestone by entering Omani waters during its maiden overseas voyage. Departing from Porbandar in Gujarat on 29 December 2025, the engineless ship follows an ancient maritime trade route to Muscat, Oman. Built using a 2,000-year-old stitching technique, it recreates the seafaring prowess of India's forebears.

Economist Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council and onboard the vessel, shared an update on 12 January 2026. He noted that on day 15 of the journey, Kaundinya lay well inside Omani waters north of Sur. With winds abated and seas glassy calm, progress stalled momentarily, yet the mission's core objective stood validated.

Sanyal emphasised that the voyage proves ancient Indian 'stitched' ships could traverse oceans. The expedition has illuminated the design's strengths and limitations, alongside the lived experience of mariners from antiquity. He accompanied his post with a sunset photograph from the previous day and a video capturing moonlight deck life.

The vessel draws inspiration from a fifth-century CE ship depicted in Ajanta Caves paintings. Skippered by Commander Vikas Sheoran, it carries a 16-member crew under the command of Officer-in-Charge Commander Y Hemant Kumar. Arrival in Muscat remains projected for around 15 January.

Kumar, involved since the project's inception, celebrated the entry into Omani waters on social media. 'Under sail, flying India's Tricolour, retracing seas once sailed by our ancestors,' he posted, evoking historical continuity.

Renowned retired naval officer Abhilash Tomy, the first Indian to conquer the Golden Globe Race—a grueling solo circumnavigation sans modern aids—extended congratulations. He described Kaundinya as a 'mighty little ship flying the tricolour' in Omani sight, its crew achieving a feat from bygone eras. Tomy quipped that Omani cuisine scents might hasten their landfall, wishing them well-earned respite.

The project originated in Sanyal's vision, sparked by Ajanta's murals. A tripartite agreement in July 2023 united the Ministry of Culture, Indian Navy, and Goa-based Hodi Innovations, funded by the Ministry. Construction commenced with keel-laying in September 2023.

Kerala's skilled artisans, led by master shipwright Babu Sankaran, employed traditional stitching. Wooden planks formed the hull, bound by coir rope, coconut fibre, and natural resin over months of meticulous labour. Launched in Goa in February 2025, the vessel embodies indigenous craftsmanship.

Kaundinya's sails bear Gandabherunda and Sun motifs, its bow a sculpted Simha Yali, and its deck a Harappan-style stone anchor. These elements honour ancient India's maritime legacy.

The name pays homage to Kaundinya, a first-century mariner who voyaged to the Mekong Delta, wedding a Cambodian princess. Thus, the ship symbolises India's enduring maritime exploration, trade, and cultural bridges with West Asia and beyond.

This fortnight-long odyssey across the Arabian Sea underscores India's naval heritage. Flying the tricolour—as Sanyal poetically termed it, a 'ship of wood with men of steel'—it bridges epochs, affirming technological and human resilience from antiquity to today.

Based On ANI Report