India gifts missile corvette INS Kirpan to Vietnam

Tags: International Relations Defence International News

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on 19 June announced the gift of an indigenous in-service missile corvette, INS Kirpan, to the Vietnam People's Navy.

An overview of the news

• The announcement is expected to significantly enhance the capabilities of the Vietnamese Navy.

• The announcement was made during talks between Defense Minister Singh and Defense Minister of Vietnam General Phan Van Gang in Delhi.

• During the meeting, bilateral defense cooperation initiatives between India and Vietnam were reviewed and both sides expressed satisfaction at the progress of the ongoing engagements.

• The Ministers identified opportunities to further enhance cooperation, particularly in areas such as defense industry cooperation, maritime security and multinational cooperation.

• Apart from the talks, the Defense Minister of Vietnam also visited the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) headquarters to explore ways to enhance defense industrial capabilities through research and joint production.

• The strengthening of defense ties between India and Vietnam underscores the strategic partnership between the two countries and their shared commitment to regional security and cooperation.

About INS Kirpan

• INS Kirpan is a missile corvette belonging to the Khukri class with a displacement of about 1,350 tonnes.

• It was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 12 January 1991.

• The length of the corvette is 91 meters and the beam is 11 metres.

• It is capable of attaining speeds of over 25 knots.

• Equipped with a variety of weapons including medium-range cannon, 30 mm close-range gun, chaff launcher and surface-to-surface missiles, INS Kirpan has the versatility to play multiple roles.

• The roles performed by INS Kirpan include coastal and offshore patrolling, coastal security, surface warfare, anti-piracy operations and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.