PM Modi Extends New Year Greetings To INSV Kaundinya Team At Sea

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday shared a photograph of the team of INSV Kaundinya, a wooden sailing ship, which embarked on a journey to Oman from Porbandar in Gujarat.

"Delighted to receive this picture from the team of INSV Kaundinya! Heartening to see their enthusiasm," Modi said, sharing a picture of the ship's crew at the high seas, on X.

"As we are all set to usher in 2026, my special greetings to the INSV Kaundinya team, which is on the high seas. May the rest of their journey also be full of joy and success," the prime minister said.

INSV Kaundinya was flagged off on Monday by Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, from Porbandar, in the presence of Oman's Ambassador to India Issa Saleh Al Shibani.

Inspired by depictions of ancient Indian ships and constructed entirely using traditional stitched-plank techniques, INSV Kaundinya represents a rare convergence of history, craftsmanship and modern naval expertise, according to the defence ministry.

Unlike contemporary vessels, INSV Kaudinya's wooden planks are stitched together using coconut coir rope and sealed with natural resins, reflecting a shipbuilding tradition once prevalent along India's coasts and across the Indian Ocean.

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