Defence Minister holds bilateral talks with Vietnamese Counterpart to further bolster defence cooperation

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday held bilateral talks with Vietnam's Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang in Hanoi. Wide-ranging discussions on effective and practical initiatives to further expand bilateral defence engagements and regional & global issues were held between the two sides.

The two Defence Ministers also signed the 'Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030', which will significantly enhance the scope and scale of existing defence cooperation.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Mutual Logistics Support was also inked in the presence of both the Ministers. In these times of increasing cooperative engagements between the defence forces of the two countries, this is a major step towards simplifying procedures for mutually beneficial logistic support and is the first such major agreement which Vietnam has signed with any country.

Both Ministers also agreed for the early finalisation of $US 500 million Defence Line of Credit extended to Vietnam. Implementation of the projects shall add substantially to Vietnam's Defence capabilities and further Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Make in India, Make for the World.'

Singh also announced gifting two simulators and monetary grant towards setting up of Language and IT Lab at Air Force Officers Training School for capacity building of Vietnamese Armed Forces.

The Defence Minister began his official visit by paying respects to late President Ho Chi Minh at his Mausoleum in Hanoi. He also visited Tran Quoc Pagoda, a revered buddhist temple which reaffirmed the age-old civilizational and people-to-people linkages between the two countries.

India and Vietnam share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership since 2016 and defence cooperation is a key pillar of this partnership. Vietnam is an important partner in India's Act East policy and the Indo-Pacific vision. Both countries share a rich history of civilisational and cultural linkages spanning over 2,000 years. India and Vietnam continue to have most trustworthy relations in contemporary times with broader convergence of interests and common concerns.

Bilateral defence engagements have expanded over a period of time to include wide-ranging contacts between the two countries, including Defence Policy Dialogues, military to military exchanges, high level visits, capacity building and training programs, cooperation in UN Peace Keeping, ship visits and bilateral exercises.

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