Indian Navy Revives 5th-Century Stitched Ship Tradition, Inducts INSV Kaundinya

The Indian Navy on Tuesday formally inducted the Ancient Stitched Ship as INSV Kaundinya at a ceremonial event held at Naval Base Karwar, reviving centuries-old shipbuilding techniques and reinforcing India’s maritime heritage. The induction was presided over by Union Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who attended as Chief Guest.

Image Source: PIB India

The vessel, a full-scale stitched sail ship inspired by 5th-century CE Ajanta Cave paintings, represents a rare fusion of traditional craftsmanship and naval engineering. The project was conceived as a cultural and technological tribute to India’s ancient seafaring history and was undertaken through a tripartite agreement signed in July 2023 between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and M/s Hodi Innovations, with funding provided by the Ministry.

The key peg of the event was India’s effort to bridge historical maritime traditions with contemporary naval practice, embodied in the design and construction of INSV Kaundinya — a first-of-its-kind reconstruction project led by a naval force.

The vessel’s keel was laid in September 2023, and it was launched in February 2025 at a shipyard in Goa. It was built entirely using ancient stitching methods, involving no nails or metal fasteners. Led by master shipwright Shri Babu Sankaran, artisans from Kerala stitched wooden planks using coir rope, coconut fibre, and natural resin—a method long extinct in modern shipbuilding.

With no surviving blueprints of such vessels, the Indian Navy played a central role in interpreting iconographic evidence and overseeing every technical aspect of the build. The hull form and rigging were validated through hydrodynamic testing at IIT Madras, alongside internal structural analysis by naval teams.

INSV Kaundinya carries a number of symbolic design features drawn from India’s cultural and maritime history. The sails bear motifs of the Gandabherunda and the Sun, the bow features a sculpted Simha Yali, and a Harappan-style stone anchor rests on deck. The ship is named after Kaundinya, the legendary Indian mariner believed to have sailed across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia.

As an Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV), Kaundinya will now be based at Karwar and will begin preparations for its next mission — a transoceanic voyage retracing ancient maritime trade routes from Gujarat to Oman, scheduled for later this year.

With this induction, the Indian Navy not only brings to life a vessel from India’s maritime past but also positions itself as a custodian of the country's seafaring legacy, blending historical inquiry with naval innovation.