Reviving ancient India-Oman maritime links: INSV Kaundinya reaches Muscat, gets grand welcome

Описание: Traditionally-built stitched ship INSV Kaundinya reached the shores of Muscat on Wednesday after completing a 17-day maiden overseas voyage from Porbandar (Gujarat), a symbolic journey reviving the arc of ancient India-Oman maritime links.

The crew of 4 officers and 13 naval sailors, led by Cmdr Vikas Sheoran, was accorded a rousing welcome at a ceremony attended by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, officials from the Indian Embassy in Muscat, and representatives of Oman’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism and the Royal Navy of Oman.

The 65-foot-long vessel has been built using traditional stitched shipbuilding techniques, without nails, using natural materials — reviving a nearly extinct maritime craft. Inspired by an Ajanta Caves painting, the ship recreates a 5th-century vessel and is named after legendary mariner Kaundinya, believed to have sailed from India to Southeast Asia in ancient times.

Sonowal said the expedition is not just a celebration of a voyage, but of a “deep-rooted civilisational bond”, calling the ship’s arrival symbolic of the enduring India-Oman friendship rooted in history and trade. Economic Advisory Council member Sanjeev Sanyal, who was onboard, said the initiative reflects the spirit of ancient Indian adventurers and merchants who explored the Indian Ocean world.

The project was launched through a tripartite agreement signed in July 2023 between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy and Hodi Innovations, funded by the Ministry of Culture. The Indian Embassy in Oman said the voyage highlights the 5,000-year-old civilisational ties between the two nations and assumes significance as India and Oman celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations.

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