The indigenously built Khukri-class Missile Corvette is being handed over to Vietnam People’s Navy in accordance with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s announcement of gifting an in-service missile corvette to Vietnam on 19 June.
The Indian Navy is all set to decommission and hand over Indian Naval Ship ‘Kirpan’ to the Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN).
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar is on an official visit to Vietnam to preside over the handing-over ceremony at Cam Ranh in Vietnam.
The transfer of an indigenously-built in-service missile corvette, INS Kirpan, from the Indian Navy to the Vietnam People’s Navy reflects India’s commitment to assist its like-minded partners in enhancing their capacity and capability, and is in consonance with the Government of India’s policies of ‘Act East’ and ‘Security and Growth for all in the Region (SAGAR)’. This is the maiden occasion of gifting a fully operational corvette by India to any Friendly Foreign Country.
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INS Kirpan, an indigenously built Khukri-class Missile Corvette is being handed over to VPN in accordance with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s announcement of gifting an in-service missile corvette to Vietnam on 19 June. Towards executing the same, INS Kirpan departed on her final journey under the Indian Tricolour from India to Vietnam on 28 June and reached Cam Ranh, Vietnam on 8 July.
Admiral Hari Kumar would also be visiting the Vietnam People’s Navy’s headquarters at Hai Phong for bilateral interaction with Vice Admiral Tran Thanh Nghiem of the Vietnam People’s Navy and would also be calling on the Minister of National Defence of Vietnam.
The visit of the Indian navy chief signifies a high-level of bilateral defence engagements between the navies of the two countries, as well as India’s recognition of ‘ASEAN Centrality’ to the region.
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