India to hand over missile corvette INS Kirpan to Vietnam

New Delhi: India on Saturday will hand over its in-service missile corvette INS Kirpan to Vietnam in reflection of growing strategic partnership between the two sides.

Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, currently on an official visit to Vietnam, will preside over the ceremony at Cam Ranh to hand over the warship, officials said.

It is for the first time that India is gifting a fully operational corvette to any friendly foreign country.

The Indian Navy said the transfer of an indigenously built in-service missile corvette to the Vietnam People's Navy reflects India's commitment to assist its like-minded partners in enhancing their capacity and capability.

INS Kirpan, an indigenously built Khukri-class missile corvette, is being handed over to Vietnam in line with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's announcement last month that India will gift an in-service missile corvette to the country.

INS Kirpan departed on her final journey under the Indian tricolour from India to Vietnam on June 28 and reached Cam Ranh, Vietnam on July 8 Admiral Kumar would also visit the Vietnam People's Navy's headquarters at Hai Phong and call on the Vietnamese minister of national defence.

"The visit of the Chief of Naval Staff signifies a high level of bilateral defence engagements between Indian Navy and Vietnam People's Navy as well as India's recognition of 'ASEAN Centrality' to the region," the Navy said in a statement.