Vietnamese Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich and his Indian counterpart at the meeting (Photo: VOV)New Delhi (VNA) – There is plenty of room for Vietnam and India to deepen bilateraldefence cooperation based on their comprehensive strategic partnership.
Lieutenant General Vu Chien Thang, Director ofthe Foreign Relations Department under the Ministry of National Defence, madethe statement in an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency on the occasion ofDefence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich’s visit to India from December 4-7.
He highlighted the traditional friendshipbetween Vietnam and India, which was founded by President Ho Chi Minh and PrimeMinister Jawaharlal Nehru, and then nurtured and developed by generations ofleaders and people of the two countries.
India is a reliable and close friend of Vietnam,he said, adding that the bilateral defence relations have been lifted to a newheight after the two nations elevated their strategic partnership tocomprehensive strategic partnership in September this year.
Thang noted that Minister Ngo Xuan Lich and hisIndian counterpart Manohar Parrikar agreed during their meeting to increase theexchange of delegations at all levels, especially among young officials, fordeeper mutual understanding and experience sharing.
The two ministers also consented to carry outthe 500-million-USD credit package that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modipledged for Vietnam during his recent visit to the Southeast Asian country, aswell as re-evaluate India’s 100-million-USD defence credit package for Vietnam.
India vowed to continue assisting Vietnam in thetraining of pilots and information technology officials training and sharingexperience on UN peacekeeping activities.
Both sides agreed to soon implement the 5.45million USD aid package announced by the Indian Prime Minister to realise thesecond phase of the software park project in Nha Trang city of the centralcoastal province of Khanh Hoa.
Lieutenant General Vu Chien Thang said the agreementsreached by the two ministers made practical contributions to the bilateralcomprehensive strategic partnership, especially when Vietnam and India arecelebrating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties and 10th anniversary of theirstrategic partnership.
He stressed Vietnam supports the Act East policyof India, while India considers Vietnam an important pillar in this policy.
Vietnam is willing to support India to expandrelations with other ASEAN member states and make contributions to peace andstability in the region, the official added.-VNA
