Muscat – The Indian Navy’s stitched sailing vessel INSV Kaundinya arrived at Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat on Wednesday, completing a 17-day voyage across the Arabian Sea from the port of Porbandar in India’s western state of Gujarat.
Reviving the 5,000-year-old India-Oman maritime relationship, the visit marks the vessel’s first call at a foreign port. Kaundinya was built using ancient Indian shipbuilding techniques without nails or metal fastenings. Its design is inspired by historic vessels that once connected Omani ports with India’s western coastline.
The visit coincides with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Oman and India. Officials said ties between the two countries continue to grow across several sectors, particularly in trade, logistics and maritime cooperation.
Unlike modern ships, Kaundinya was constructed using a stitched-ship technique called Tankai, in which wooden planks are bound together with coconut coir rope and sealed with natural resins like kundroos. The method enabled sailors to undertake long-distance voyages to West Asia, Africa and Southeast Asia centuries before the advent of modern navigation technology.
The arrival was marked by a reception organised by the Foreign Ministry in cooperation with the Embassy of India in Oman. Officials from the ministry, Royal Navy of Oman and Royal Oman Police attended the event.
Manned by an Indian naval crew of 13 sailors and four officers, the vessel, set sail on December 29 and crossed the Arabian Sea using wind power and traditional navigation methods. Officials said the voyage aimed to strengthen maritime cooperation and highlight the historic seafaring links between Oman and India.
The project was conceived by Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India, who was onboard the rudder-less 20m vessel on the transoceanic crossing.
The reception was held under the auspices of H E Azzan bin Qasim al Busaidi, Undersecretary for Tourism in the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, and attended by Sarbananda Sonowal, India’s Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
Capt Saleh Said al Jabri, Captain of the Jewel of Muscat, said the arrival of Kaundinya reflects the long maritime history linking Oman and India, when traditional sailing vessels relied on monsoon winds to support trade and social exchange across the Indian Ocean.
Commander Visas Sheoran, skipper of Kaundinya, informed that the vessel will remain in Oman for about 20 days to undergo maintenance before beginning its return journey.
