INDIA has said it will give a warship to Vietnam in the latest signal of tightening defence ties between the two countries that fear China's assertiveness, reports the Voice of America.

The announcement that New Delhi will deliver the missile corvette INS Kirpan to the Vietnamese navy was made following a meeting between Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Vietnamese counterpart, General Phan Van Gang in New Delhi.

"A missile corvette is a small warship used mainly for the purpose of coastal defence," according to Rahul Bedi, an independent defence analyst.

In a statement, the Indian government said that giving the warship to Hanoi would be "a milestone in enhancing the capabilities of Vietnam People's Navy."

The focus of the Vietnamese defence minister's visit was on building military ties with New Delhi. He also discussed ways to enhance defence industrial capabilities by cooperation in defence research and joint production, according to the statement.

The two countries have had a strategic partnership since 2016, which gained further momentum when they signed a pact that would enable use of each other's bases. India also gave 12 high-speed guard boats to Vietnam last June under a US$100 million line of credit extended by India.

Building defence cooperation with Vietnam is part of New Delhi's efforts to maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific, say analysts. India has been engaged in a military standoff with China along the disputed Himalayan borders for the last three years.

India has also been concerned about Beijing's expanding footprint in the Indian Ocean where China has built infrastructure projects in countries like Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Pakistan.

In Hanoi, there are worries about Chinese warships and survey vessels entering Vietnam's exclusive economic zone. Based on what Beijing says are old maps, China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its territory including waters that are claimed by Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries.

Last month, Vietnam urged China to withdraw a survey ship and escorting coast guard vessels that entered its waters. They left after operating for almost a month.

India had also proposed selling its indigenously developed supersonic missile systems to Vietnam several years ago, but progress on that deal has been slow.