HCMC – Indian naval ship INS Kiltan is making a technical halt at the Nha Rong Port of HCMC for a three-day visit to the city from December 24 to 26.
The visit of INS Kiltan, an anti-submarine warfare corvette of the Indian Navy, is part of the Indian Navy’s ongoing operational deployment of its ships to the Southeast Asia region, according to the Indian Embassy in Vietnam.
The ship will deliver humanitarian assistance, including disaster relief for people affected by the recent floods and typhoons in central Vietnam.
The relief will be handed over to the national steering committee for natural disaster prevention and control, reflecting the close relationship between the two countries and their people.
The visit is also aimed at enhancing maritime cooperation between Vietnam and India’s naval forces, deepening the countries’ friendship and contributing to security and peace in the region.
The Indian Embassy said defense cooperation is a vital component of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and India.
The two countries’ naval forces have closely collaborated in the fields of training, repair, maintenance and logistics support.
“The India-Vietnam relations today reflect their shared belief that their partnership is not only bilateral in nature but has an important bearing on the peace, prosperity and stability of the Indo-Pacific region founded on their shared respect for international law and a rules-based regional and international order,” the embassy said in a statement.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, both countries have maintained a momentum in bilateral engagements. The Prime Ministers of both countries held online talks on April 13 and a virtual summit on December 21, during which a number of important agreements were made in various fields such as defense, energy, trade and cultural cooperation.
