India has never before given a friendly foreign nation a fully functional, in-service corvette. The warship’s transfer comes a year after India gave the Vietnamese Navy 12 high-speed boats to strengthen its capabilities as part of a $100 million line of credit with that nation.
In an effort to strengthen defence ties with Vietnam, the Indian Navy decommissioned INS Kirpan on Saturday and presented the locally built missile corvette to the Vietnamese navy at Cam Ranh as a gift. The ceremony was officiated by the Vietnamese navy’s deputy commander-in-chief, Rear Admiral Pham Manh Hung, and Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar.
Security cooperation between the two nations, according to Hari Kumar, would ensure that no “single nation” could unilaterally change or misunderstand laws to further its own interests in the Indo-Pacific Region.
His remarks come at a time when the Chinese Navy is engaged in issues with numerous other countries in the South China Sea and is looking to increase its presence in the area.
When India and Vietnam signed a joint vision statement on “Defence Partnership towards 2030” last year, the navy chief was referring to the increased security cooperation that is outlined in that document. In June 2022, the vision statement was signed in Hanoi by General Phan Van Giang of Vietnam and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh of India.
India has never before given a friendly foreign nation a fully functional, in-service corvette. The handover of the warship comes one year after India upgraded the Vietnamese Navy’s capabilities by transferring 12 high-speed boats to that nation as part of a $100 million line of credit.
A missile corvette of the Khukri class named INS Kirpan served the Indian Navy for 32 years.
According to a statement from the military, the transfer of INS Kirpan would act as a catalyst for bettering bilateral ties between the two fleets. On June 28, INS Kirpan departed for Vietnam, and on July 8, it arrived in Cam Ranh.
Hari Kumar stated, “Both India and Vietnam are responsible members of the world community and frequently demonstrate their commitment to maintaining the ideals of justice and fairness contained in the international legal framework.
On June 19, 2023, Singh declared that Vietnam would get INS Kirpan as a gift.
The 1,450-tonne INS Kirpan, manned by 12 officers and 100 sailors, was a vital component of the navy’s Eastern Fleet and took part in various actions during the previous three decades. The warship is 10.45 metres wide and 90 metres long. With all of its weaponry and sensors, it was given to the Vietnamese Navy.
