United Nations, Indian Navy The maiden voyage of the Indian Navy’s traditional stitched sailing vessel INSV Kaundinya from Porbandar to Muscat was highlighted at a United Nations event, with speakers highlighting centuries-old maritime traditions and cooperation amid tensions affecting global shipping routes.
The Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations and the Permanent Mission of Oman to the United Nations co-organized an event titled “Ancient Trade Routes: A Journey to INSV Kaundinya” at the United Nations Headquarters on Friday.
Indian Navy Commodore Amit Srivastava, captain Lieutenant Colonel Vikas Sheoran and expeditionary officer Lieutenant Colonel Y Hemant Kumar attended the event and delivered speeches.
India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Parvatanini Harish, said in her speech: “This is an important moment. Every day we talk about some kind of maritime crisis that affects us, our countries and our citizens, but we also have a centuries-old maritime tradition of peaceful trade and commerce, and centuries of exchanges.”
Although Ambassador Harish did not mention this directly, his remarks appeared to refer to concerns about the chaos surrounding the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing conflict in West Asia. About one-fifth of the world’s energy supply passes through narrow waterways.
The Indian Navy sailing ship “Kaundinya” is an indigenously built traditional stitching sailing ship of the Indian Navy. It made its first overseas voyage from Porbandar, Gujarat to Muscat, Oman on December 29, 2025.
The Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations said the voyage of the INSV Kaundinya, a quilted plank sailing ship inspired by ancient Indian shipbuilding traditions, highlights India’s ancient maritime trade routes across the Indian Ocean, connecting India with the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa.
“These ancient trade routes highlight India and Oman’s long-standing role as responsible maritime civilizations,” the report said.
Stressing that India and Oman’s maritime ties go back centuries, Harish said the event highlighted that “the ocean connects us as it always has”.
“As the world debates how to manage and protect shared ocean spaces, it is worth remembering that the peoples of our region were doing so through trade, trust and regular exchanges and contacts long before modern international law and the law of the sea really took shape,” he said.
Harish further said that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea provides a legal framework for governing the world’s oceans today, “but a framework works best when it is based on genuine common purpose and trust.”
“Events like this help build that sense of purpose. They remind us that the ocean is a common space that belongs to us all and must be protected by all of us,” he added.
INSV Kaundinya sailors shared details of a recent expedition tracing ancient Indian Ocean trade routes with United Nations envoys, officials and dignitaries.
Omar Saeed Omar Al-Katiri, Permanent Representative of the Sultanate of Oman to the United Nations, said, “Through INSV Kaundinya’s extraordinary voyage, we are reminded of the deep-rooted and cherished relationship between our two countries, which has flourished for centuries in the heart of the Indian Ocean.”
“Our maritime history provides valuable lessons for current and future ocean governance. The cooperative spirit of Oman-India relations inspires us to work together and manage ocean resources and protect biodiversity,” he said.
Alkatiri said the ship was greeted with enthusiasm and admiration when it arrived in Omani waters, “reminding us of our shared history” and laying the groundwork for renewed cooperation.
He said the voyage highlighted the importance of cultural exchange and fostering trust, innovation and resilience.
“It honors the legacy of our ancestors by inviting us to work together to protect the ocean for future generations,” Alkatiri said.
This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.
