Indian Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar will hand over a "fully-operational corvette" to Vietnam's People's Navy (VPN) at a ceremony in Cam Ranh province on Saturday, an Indian defense ministry statement said.
This is the first time that India is gifting a fully-functional corvette to a foreign navy, according to New Delhi.
This is the first time that India is gifting a fully-functional corvette to a foreign navy, according to New Delhi.
"The ship is fitted with an array of weapons and sensors and has participated in various operational and humanitarian assistance operations," according to the Navy.
The defense ministry said that the transfer of the naval vessel signified India’s commitment to “assist its like-minded partners in enhancing their capacity and capability”.
It said that it was in line with New Delhi’s ‘Act East’ and ‘SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) policies, both of which seek to strengthen India’s economic and strategic engagements with countries in the Indian Ocean Region and the broader Indo-Pacific.
During his visit to Vietnam, the Indian Navy chief would also be holding bilateral talks with Vice Admiral Tran Thanh Nghiem, the head of the Vietnam's People’s Navy, the Indian statement announced.
Kumar will also call on Vietnamese Minister of National Defense General Phan Van Giang during the visit, it added.
India-Vietnam Defense Cooperation
According to official statements, the overall ties between India and Vietnam were upgraded to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in September 2016.
New Delhi says that ties between the two countries are guided by “mutual strategic interests” and a “shared vision for regional stability” and upholding the “rules-based international order.”
The two countries signed an MoU on defense cooperation in 2009, according to official records.
The two countries also signed on to a ‘Joint Vision Statement on India - Vietnam Defense Partnership towards 2030’ during the visit of the Vietnamese defense minister to India in June.
Last June, Vietnam inked its first ever mutual logistics support pact with India, which would allow Indian Navy vessels and aircraft to call at Vietnamese facilities for supplies.