Culture And Defence Ministries Sign MoU To Revive Ancient Maritime Heritage Through Kaundinya Stitched Ship Project

In a initiative to revive India’s maritime traditions, the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Culture on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Stitched Ship Project – INSV Kaundinya.

The project centres around a traditional wooden sailing vessel built without modern welding or riveting techniques, employing the centuries-old “stitched ship” method indigenous to India.

“Ministry of Defence & @MinOfCultureGoI signed an MoU for the Stitched Ship Project – INSV Kaundinya. A traditional wooden sailing vessel built without modern welding or riveting, #INSVKaundinya revives India’s ancient maritime craftsmanship,” the Ministry of Defence noted on X.

The Indian Navy will maintain and operate the vessel, man the crew, and plan its voyage. Later this year, INSV Kaundinya is expected to sail to Oman, retracing millennia-old trade and cultural routes across the Indian Ocean.

“Under the MoU, the @indiannavy will undertake maintenance, operations, crew manning & voyage planning. Later this year, she will sail to Oman, retracing millennia-old trade & cultural routes across the #IndianOcean,” the Ministry added.

According to an Indian Express report, shipwrights and artisans used coconut fibre stitching, coir rope, natural resins, and cotton sails, the vessel features a main mast, mizzen mast, bowsprit mast, trailing oars, square sails, a flexible hull, and steering oars.

No rudders are used, reflecting historical sailing techniques. The design draws inspiration from a 5th century Ajanta painting.

Sanjeev Sanyal, member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, highlighted the vessel’s historical significance, “He [Kaundinya] is the first Indian mariner, who we know by name, to have crossed the seas to visit Southeast Asia and had a significant impact on world history.”

According to history, Kaundinya and the local queen Soma established the first Indianised kingdom in Southeast Asia, now part of Cambodia and Southern Vietnam.

Union Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the chief guest at the induction, emphasised that the launch symbolises the resurgence of India’s maritime legacy and its enduring ties with the Indian Ocean world.

The vessel’s sails and bow are adorned with culturally significant motifs, including the Gandaberunda emblem, Simha Yali, and a Harappan-style stone anchor, reinforcing the rich heritage embedded in its design.

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