INSV Kaundinya: Indian Navy’s ‘stitched ship’ inspired by 5th century Ajanta painting

The Indian Navy has inducted a ‘stitched sail ship’, named Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Kaundinya, at a ceremony held at the Naval Base in Karnataka’s Karwar. The vessel is modelled on a 5th-century ship showcased in a painting in the Ajanta Caves.

The ship is set for a historic transoceanic voyage, traversing the ancient trade route from Gujarat to Oman, according to the Indian Navy. The vessel, with a 15-member crew of the Indian Navy on board, will embark on the journey later this year.

Here’s everything to know about the stitched ship.

Features of INSV Kaundinya

INSV Kaundinya, the stitched ship, boasts square sails and steering oars, which are “entirely alien to modern-day ships”, as per the Indian Navy. These oars control the steering of the ship, which is reportedly equipped with a main mast, mizzen mast and bowsprit mast.

INSV Kaundinya is adorned with culturally significant features. “Her [the ship’s] 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,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

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The vessel was built using traditional stitching techniques by a team of skilled artisans from Kerala, led by master shipwright Babu Sankaran. “Over several months, the team painstakingly stitched wooden planks on the ship’s hull using coir rope, coconut fibre and natural resin,” the ministry’s statement read.

Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, told Indian Express that the ship has “trailing oars, square sails and a flexible hull. It does not have rudders. In modern sailing, usually, triangular sails are used. There are some advantages, but many disadvantages, because you have to basically sail with the wind. So, it is important to recognise that when we attempt to sail it, we will have to relearn the art of sailing with square sails.”

The project, which is aimed at exhibiting India’s maritime heritage, is being implemented through a tripartite agreement between the Indian Navy, the Ministry of Culture and Goa-based shipbuilding company Hodi Innovations (OPC) Private Ltd.

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The Indian Navy monitored the ship’s design, technical validation, and construction process. “With no surviving blueprints of such vessels, the design had to be inferred from iconographic sources. The Navy collaborated with the shipbuilder to recreate the hull form and traditional rigging, and ensured that the design was validated through hydrodynamic model testing at the Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras, and internal technical assessment,” the defence ministry said in the statement.

INSV Kaundinya’s keel laying happened in September 2023, and it was launched in February in Goa.

The formal induction of INSV Kaundinya into the Indian Navy is historical and significant for India’s maritime heritage.

“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,” Union Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who was the chief guest at the induction ceremony on Wednesday (May 21), wrote on X.

A historic moment for Bharat and our civilisational pride.

Presided over the induction ceremony of the Ancient Stitched Ship INSV Kaundinya at Karwar Naval Base today—an extraordinary recreation of a 5th-century vessel, inspired by Ajanta murals and handcrafted by Kerala’s… pic.twitter.com/YonXLLKl81

— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) May 21, 2025

How INSV Kaundinya got its name

INSV Kaundinya is named after a legendary Indian mariner who sailed across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia.

More than 2000 years ago, the Indian merchant Kaundinya reached the Mekong Delta (southern Vietnam ), along with a crew of Indians, during his sailing venture.

The Indian merchant vessel on which they were aboard was attacked by pirates, who were defeated by Kaundinya. However, the vessel was damaged and had to be beached for repairs, as per an Indian Express report.

A local clan, led by warrior queen Soma, encircled the Indian crew, who were outnumbered.
Legend has it that a confrontation ensued between them. However, the conflict did not last long as Soma, belonging to the Naga clan, fell in love with Kaundinya and proposed marriage. The couple later went on to establish the royal dynasty of Funan.

Speaking to Indian Express, Sanyal said, “Kaundinya and Soma set up a dynasty that went on to form the first Indianised Kingdom in what is now Cambodia/South Vietnam. This is corroborated by Chinese sources. All the future dynasties of the Khmer and Chams of Vietnam… to this day… trace their lineage to this marriage.”

With inputs from agencies