UN spotlights India Oman bond as Navy stitched sail vessel Kaundinya sails to Muscat in record voyage

Strait of Hormuz fears loomed behind the ceremony

A UN event at headquarters in New York celebrated the Indian Navy’s traditional stitched-plank sail vessel INSV Kaundinya’s maiden voyage from Porbandar to Muscat. Co-organised by the Indian and Oman missions, the programme highlighted centuries-old Indian Ocean trade routes and peaceful maritime exchange, while speakers linked the theme to today’s shipping-route pressures. Indian officials referenced tensions around West Asia’s waterways, stressing cooperation, trust, and the Law of the Sea framework as oceans governance needs shared purpose.