Khukri-class corvette INS Kirpan set sail to Vietnam on June 28 from the east Indian port of Visakhapatnam. After a short port name in Singapore, the missile corvette entered Cam Ranh International Port on July 8, the place it was acquired by the Vietnamese People’s Navy (VPN). However, the vessel won’t be formally handed over to Vietnam till the top of July, as soon as coaching of VPN personnel is full.

The switch of INS Kirpan was introduced on June 19 by Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh. Minister of National Defence of Vietnam General Phan Van Gang had visited India from June 17 – 19 to evaluation bilateral defence cooperation between India and Vietnam.

INS Kirpan is the third ship of the Khukri-class and was commissioned in January 1991. The Khukri-class was constructed as a part of Project 25. The Navy desired a ship just like the Soviet Petya-class, which it had acquired within the late Nineteen Sixties, however with the potential to hold a helicopter. While imports had been mulled initially, none met the Navy’s necessities and design work of Project 25 by the Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design started in 1976. 

The ships can be fitted with Soviet weapons with a mixture of Soviet and Indian sensors. Orders for the primary two corvettes, Khukri and Kuthar, had been positioned with Mazagon Docks in 1986. Mazagon Docks then acted because the lead yard and helped GRSE which constructed the following two corvettes. The first of those was Kirpan, which was delivered to the Navy in 1990. Four extra corvettes of the Kora class had been constructed by GRSE below Project 25A. The major enchancment of the Kora class was in armament, with the corvettes that includes 16 Kh-35 missiles as an alternative of the 4 Styx missiles onboard the Khukris.

The Kirpan is a well-recognized vessel to the VPN given its array of Soviet gear such because the Styx missiles which it has operated for many years. The VPN is the final operator of the Petya-class with 5 vessels in lively service. India is a possible supply for buying appropriate replacements for this class with its current deal with changing into a significant defence exporter.

The navies of India and Vietnam have interaction extensively by way of frequent operational interactions, dialogues and knowledge sharing mechanisms. The two nations have lengthy collaborated on coaching, with 60 slots in Indian navy coaching establishments reserved for Vietnam. This quantity is more likely to enhance quickly after a request from Vietnam. India has skilled VPN sailors for working its six Kilo-class submarines and in addition skilled pilots for Vietnam’s fleet of Su-30s. The cooperation additionally extends to produce of spares, ship restore and common goodwill visits by ships and delegations.

In 2016, a $100 million line of credit score was prolonged to Vietnam utilizing which 12 L&T High Speed Patrol Boats had been acquired for Vietnam’s Border Guard. Five boats had been made in India by L&T with the remaining in-built Vietnam by Hong Ha shipyard. The boats had been formally handed over to Vietnam in June 2022. Vietnam has lengthy been reported to be fascinated about India’s Brahmos supersonic cruise missile and Akash floor to air missile system. The Brahmos has been ordered by the Philippine Marine Corps with the Philippine Army set to observe swimsuit. Indonesia can be a possible buyer for the system.

India is among the three international locations with which Vietnam has a complete strategic partnership, the opposite two being Russia and China. India’s ties with Vietnam are sometimes seen by way of the lens of countering China, with the numerous territorial disputes each nations have with the latter. For its half, India has been making a visual effort to mark its presence in South East Asia, ramping up ties and safety cooperation throughout the area.