INS Kirpan, the third indigenously built Khukri class missile corvette, departed Visakhapatnam on July 29, 2023 for Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam on her last deployment flying the Indian Naval Ensign. This is the maiden occasion of gifting a fully operational corvette by India to any Friendly Foreign Country and will further enhance Vietnam’s naval capabilities.
Earlier this month defence minister Rajnath Singh during the visit of his Vietnamese counterpart General Phan Van Gang had announced gifting of the indigenous Khukri class missile corvette.
About the Corvette
The 1350 ton corvette was commissioned into the Indian Navy on January 12, 1991 and has completed 32 years of illustrious service. The ship, entirely indigenous in concept, design and construction, demonstrates India’s technological advancements in the field of electronics, sensors and ship-building capabilities.
INS Kirpan is fitted with medium-range and 30 mm close-range guns, chaff launchers and surface to surface missiles, enabling it to perform a wide variety of roles, including surface warfare, coastal and off- shore patrol, coastal security, anti-piracy and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
And according to the Indian Navy it has a displacement of close to 1,400 tonnes, with a length of 91 metres, and a beam of 11 metres. This boat is capable of speed in excess of 25 knots.
The ship is being gifted to Vietnam as a gesture of India’s friendship and highlights the close cooperation between the two navies. Gifting of Kirpan to VPN also reaffirms the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that India shares with Vietnam since 2016.
So far Hanoi has procured 12 high speed patrol boats for its border guard force under a US$100 million Line of Credit (LoC) which was extended by India back in September 2014. And, in 2016 another LoC was extended to Vietnam for US$ 500 million and the two sides are holding discussions to identify the equipment they want to procure.
Both countries have elevated their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2016 and cooperation in the defence sector is a key pillar in this partnership. For India Vietnam is an important partner in its `Act East’ Policy and its Indo-Pacific vision.
“In the maritime domain, both the navies engage extensively through frequent operational interactions, structured periodic dialogues and information sharing mechanisms. This Navy to Navy cooperation also encompasses a wide array of initiatives aimed at capacity building and capability enhancement, including supply of spares, repair of ships, deputation of instructors, and regular goodwill visits by Naval Ships and delegations,” according to the Indian Navy.
Officers and personnel of the Eastern Naval Command led by VAdm Sanjay Vatsayan, Chief of Staff, bid farewell to the ship at a ceremonial function at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam.