INS Udaygiri, Kavaratti arrive in Ho Chi Minh City to boost India-Vietnam maritime ties
Synopsis
Two Indian warships carrying 610 personnel have docked in Ho Chi Minh City under a Flag Officer's command — a deliberate show of naval weight as India and Vietnam institutionalise their maritime partnership through the IFC-IOR, the IPOI, and a Defence Vision towards 2030. The visit is the most visible naval expression yet of a strategic relationship that both Modi and Vietnam's President To Lam elevated just weeks ago.
Key Takeaways
INS Udaygiri and INS Kavaratti arrived at Ho Chi Minh City on 22 June on a port call to strengthen India-Vietnam maritime ties.
The delegation, commanded by Rear Admiral Alok Ananda, YSM , comprises 610 officers and sailors .
Vietnam has accepted India's invitation to post a liaison officer at the IFC-IOR in Gurugram , boosting Maritime Domain Awareness.
Both nations are implementing the Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030 .
Vietnam has joined the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) , deepening multilateral maritime engagement with India.
Indian Naval Ships (INS) Udaygiri and INS Kavaratti arrived at Ho Chi Minh City on Monday, 22 June on an official port call aimed at deepening professional exchanges and reinforcing maritime cooperation between India and Vietnam. The visit, led by Rear Admiral Alok Ananda, YSM, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, brings a delegation of 610 officers and sailors — one of the larger naval contingents India has deployed to the region in recent years.
Arrival and Official Welcome
The two warships were received by representatives from Vietnam's military, diplomatic agencies, and Ho Chi Minh City authorities. The Indian Embassy in Hanoi noted on X that 'maritime cooperation is one of the strongest pillars of the Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Vietnam.' The port call is designed to facilitate ship-to-ship professional exchanges alongside broader strategic signalling.
Strategic Backdrop: A Partnership Being Reinforced
The naval visit follows the high-profile trip to India in May 2025 by Vietnam President and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party To Lam, during which both nations reaffirmed that defence and security cooperation would remain a central pillar of their bilateral relationship. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President To Lam had specifically identified the maritime domain as a priority area, calling for enhanced cooperation between the two sides. This comes amid growing strategic convergence in the Indo-Pacific, where both countries share concerns over freedom of navigation and regional stability.
Key Defence and Maritime Frameworks
Both governments commended the effective implementation of the Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030, which continues to guide expanding defence ties. The bilateral Maritime Security Dialogue was acknowledged as having 'fostered mutual trust and better understanding of respective concerns,' with both sides underscoring the importance of convening it regularly, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Notably, Vietnam has accepted India's invitation to assign an International Liaison Officer at the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram — a move that significantly expands real-time Maritime Domain Awareness cooperation. Prime Minister Modi also welcomed Vietnam's decision to join the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), opening another multilateral channel for maritime engagement.
What This Visit Signals
The deployment of two frontline vessels under a Flag Officer — rather than a routine single-ship call — underscores the elevated priority India assigns to its naval engagement with Southeast Asia. The Eastern Fleet's involvement is particularly significant: it is the primary operational fleet for the Bay of Bengal and broader Indo-Pacific engagements. With Vietnam now plugged into the IFC-IOR network and the IPOI framework, the India-Vietnam maritime architecture is becoming increasingly institutionalised. All eyes will be on the outcomes of the professional exchanges and whether a follow-on Vietnamese naval visit to India is announced before the year ends.
Point of View
A region where China's maritime assertiveness is reshaping alignments. The India-Vietnam maritime partnership is no longer just symbolic — it is acquiring institutional scaffolding through the IPOI, the bilateral Maritime Security Dialogue, and the 2030 Defence Vision. The question is whether the pace of hardware transfers and joint exercises will match the ambition of the frameworks being signed.
NationPress
22 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why have INS Udaygiri and INS Kavaratti visited Ho Chi Minh City?
The two Indian warships arrived on 22 June on an official port call to foster professional exchanges and strengthen maritime cooperation between India and Vietnam under their Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The visit is also a follow-up to high-level commitments made during Vietnam President To Lam's visit to India in May 2025.
Who is leading the Indian naval delegation in Vietnam?
The delegation is under the command of Rear Admiral Alok Ananda, YSM, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet. It comprises 610 officers and sailors across the two ships.
What is the IFC-IOR and why is Vietnam's participation significant?
The Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), based in Gurugram, is India's maritime intelligence-sharing hub for the Indo-Pacific. Vietnam's agreement to assign an International Liaison Officer there deepens real-time Maritime Domain Awareness cooperation between the two countries and marks a significant step in institutionalising the partnership.
What is the India-Vietnam Joint Vision Statement on Defence Partnership towards 2030?
It is a bilateral framework guiding defence and security cooperation between India and Vietnam through 2030. Both governments have commended its effective implementation and it remains the primary document shaping growing defence ties, covering areas from maritime security to capacity building.
What is the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative and has Vietnam joined it?
The Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) is an Indian-led framework for maritime cooperation across the Indo-Pacific region. Prime Minister Modi welcomed Vietnam's decision to join the IPOI, which opens additional multilateral channels for maritime engagement between the two countries.
