A Vietnamese frigate left Cam Ranh Military Port in the south-central Vietnamese province of Khanh Hoa on Wednesday to attend the International Fleet Review in India, as well as to visit the Singaporean Navy.

Crew members aboard the 011-Dinh Tien Hoang Russian-made warship will engage in an exchange with Singapore’s naval force from January 23 to 26 and participate in the International Fleet Review 2016 in early February.  

The trip is slated to enhance the friendship and cooperation between the Vietnam People’s Navy and its Singaporean and Indian counterparts, as well as to strengthen the Vietnamese navy’s position in the international arena.

A training session is also incorporated in the journey to assess the leadership, management skill, combat readiness, ability to exploit and control modern technology and equipment, and to provide experience in exchanging and integrating with the international community for the country’s naval force.

This is the second time the frigate has been assigned to visit other countries’ navies and the first time the vessel has attended the International Fleet Review, said Colonel Le Xuan Thuy, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Vietnam People’s Navy.

The International Fleet Review (IFR), which was first held in 1953 and is organized once every five years by the Indian Navy, is a grand occasion for every operational ship to proudly display its crest and company in a spirit of loyalty and allegiance to its sovereign and the state, according to the event’s official website.

The IFR 2016, conducted from February 4 to 8, will see the attendance of navies from 52 nations worldwide.

During the event, the Vietnamese navy will participate in international maritime conferences, street parades, fireworks displays, and other activities.

The 011-Dinh Tien Hoang will cross the Pacific Ocean to arrive in the Indian Ocean on a 5,000-nautical-mile journey, during which safety will be strictly ensured, according to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quang Huy, captain of the frigate.

The vessel is expected to return to Vietnam on February 23.