INSV Kaundinya reaches Oman, gets grand water salute after 17-day maiden voyage

The Indian Navy's traditionally stitched wooden ship INSV Kaundinya reached the shores of Muscat on Wednesday, completing a 17-day maiden overseas voyage from Porbandar in Gujarat. The journey marked the successful end of a expedition that sought to revive ancient maritime links between India and Oman.

The vessel, operated by the Indian Navy, was crewed by four officers and 13 sailors under the command of Commander Vikas Sheoran.

The crew was given a ceremonial welcome on arrival, attended by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, senior officials from the Indian Embassy in Muscat, Oman’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, and the Royal Navy of Oman.

REVIVAL OF ANCIENT SHIPBUILDING

The 65-foot-long vessel was constructed using traditional stitched shipbuilding techniques, relying on natural materials and methods believed to date back several centuries. The ship is a recreation of a fifth-century vessel inspired by a painting from the Ajanta Caves and is named after the legendary mariner Kaundinya, who is believed to have sailed from India to Southeast Asia in ancient times.

“This expedition recalled the history, heritage and power of India in the maritime sector. The crew has made India proud, and this voyage has also strengthened our centuries-old ties with Oman... Long live India-Oman friendship,” Sonowal told reporters after receiving the crew at Port Sultan Qaboos.

Addressing the gathering, Sonowal said the voyage represented more than a maritime achievement. “The arrival of this stitched ship in Muscat is symbolic of the enduring India-Oman friendship that has stood the test of time and that is anchored in history, enriched by trade and strengthened by mutual respect,” he said, calling it a celebration of a “deep-rooted civilisational bond”.

Azzan bin Qassim Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of Oman’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, was also present at the ceremony.

Economic Advisory Council member Sanjeev Sanyal, who was on board the ship during the voyage, said the project highlighted India’s ancient seafaring tradition. “This (project) is also to show that ancient India, which we are very proud, was really based on risk-takers, adventurers, merchants who went out, discovered new markets and new lands, spread culture, but also imbibed new ideas from them,” he told PTI.

“So, ancient India was a country of risk-takers, and that is what we are really celebrating here,” he added.

VOYAGE RETRACES HISTORIC ROUTES

The ship set sail from Porbandar on December 29, retracing maritime routes that once connected India’s western coast with Oman and facilitated trade and cultural exchange across the Indian Ocean. A Navy spokesperson had said the expedition aimed to highlight sustained civilisational interactions that shaped the region for centuries.

The stitched ship project was initiated under a tripartite agreement signed in July 2023 between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy and Hodi Innovations, with funding provided by the Ministry of Culture.

‘NO MEAN TASK’, SAYS COMMANDER

Commander Y Hemant Kumar, officer-in-charge of the expedition, said reaching Muscat was a moment of pride. “The experience of sailing has been exhilarating and it was very adventurous,” he told PTI. Calling the journey challenging, he said, “It is no mean task to sail on a transoceanic voyage from Porbandar to Muscat. The distance is about 650 nautical miles.”

The Indian Embassy in Muscat said the voyage stood as a symbol of maritime, cultural and civilisational ties spanning more than 5,000 years between India and Oman. It noted that the expedition was particularly significant as the two countries mark 70 years of diplomatic relations.

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With inputs from agencies