Indian defense minister to visit Viet Nam next week
VGP – Indian defense minister Rajnath Singh will pay a three-day official visit to Viet Nam, starting from June 8 at the invitation of Vietnamese counterpart Phan Van Giang.
During his visit, Singh is expected to lay a wreath at the Mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh, hold talks with defense minister Phan Van Giang, and make courtesy calls on President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
The two defense ministers will review bilateral defense ties over the past time and discuss new ideas to further foster cooperation in this sector.
On the occasion, Singh will witness the handing over of 12 High Speed Guard Boats to Viet Nam. These vessels are part of a project under the US$ 100 million Defense Line of Credit extended by Government of India to Viet Nam.
Viet Nam and India set up diplomatic relations in July 1972 and elevated the ties to comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016.
Leaders of the two countries agreed to step up regular high-level and institutionalized exchanges based on the foundations of deep-rooted historical and cultural bonds, shared values and interests, mutual strategic trust and understanding and shared commitment to international law, according to a Joint Vision Statement for Peace, Prosperity and People released on December 21, 2020.
The leaders agreed that enhanced defense and security partnership between Viet Nam and India will be an important factor of stability in the Indo-Pacific region. To this end, the two sides will step up their military-to-military exchanges, training and capacity building programs across the three services and coast guards and will intensify their defense industry collaboration building on India's defense credit lines extended to Viet Nam.
They pledged that both countries will further institutionalize defense exchanges through mutual logistics support, regular ship visits, joint exercises, exchanges in military science and technology, information sharing, and cooperation in UN peacekeeping.
Both sides will also engage more closely through institutionalized dialogue mechanisms in dealing with traditional and non-traditional security threats in cyber and maritime domains, terrorism, natural disasters, health security, water security, transnational crimes, including through enhanced legal and judicial cooperation, where required./.
