India to Hand Over Missile Corvette INS Kirpan to Vietnam

New Delhi: With an eye on China, the Indian Navy on Saturday handed over its in-service missile corvette INS Kirpan to the Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN) at Vietnamese deep water bay of Cam Ranh. This is the first time that India has handed over a fully operational warship to a friendly foreign country.

Indian Navy chief Adm. R. Hari Kumar presided over a ceremony that involved the decommissioning of INS Kirpan from the Indian Navy and then handing it over to the VPN.

Since its commissioning in 1991, INS Kirpan has been an integral part of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet and has participated in many operations over the last 32 years.

Addressing the event, the Indian Navy Chief said that Vietnam serves as an important partner in India’s Indo-Pacific vision. "The recent signing of the joint vision statement on India-Vietnam defence partnership towards 2030 will significantly enhance the scope and scale of existing security collaboration and ensure that no ‘single’ nation can unilaterally alter or misinterpret rules to serve its own interests in the Indo-Pacific Region," said Adm. Kumar.

The Indian Navy Chief said that both India and Vietnam are responsible members of the global community and regularly demonstrate their commitment to upholding the principles of fairness and justice enshrined in the international legal framework.

Manned by about 12 officers and 100 sailors, the ship is 90 m long and 10.45 m wide, with a maximum displacement of 1,450 tonnes. The ship has been handed over today to the Vietnamese People’s Navy with a complete weapon complement.

"INS Kirpan has remained an offensive option for the Indian Navy to go into harm’s way and strike the enemy. The ship, with periodic upgrades to her weapons and sensors and manned by a determined and motivated crew, has remained a force to be reckoned with. She has always embodied a ‘can do’ spirit and always punched above her weight -- willing to take on any challenge, any adversary, any time," said the Indian Navy Chief.