PM Nguyen Tan Dung and Indian President Narendra Modi at the the meeting (Photo: VNA)
Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury, ET Bureau Oct 28, 2014,
NEW DELHI: India and Vietnam today decided to boost their defence and strategic partnership that will see supply of four naval patrol vessels to Hanoi as part of $100 million Line of Credit (LoC) signed last month and enhancement in training program for the military of Southeast Asian nation. The two countries also decided to ramp up cooperation in the field of hydrocarbon, civil nuclear energy and space.
"Our defence cooperation with Vietnam is among our most important ones. India remains committed to the modernisation of Vietnam's defence and security forces," Modi said following his talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung here. Dung is here on a two-day visit close on the heels of President Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Vietnam when MoU for 100-bn $LoC in defence was signed.
The two sides signed seven agreements following talks which included two pacts in oil exploration sector besides agreements in the field of culture, tourism and English language training. Notwithstanding Chinese objections, Vietnam offered India rights for exploration in two additional oil and gas blocks in the South ChinaSea region. In a quick reaction, Beijing warned that it will firmly oppose any exploration activity in South China Sea if it undermines its "sovereignty and interests".
The scope of India-Vietnam defence ties will be enhanced and this includes expansion of training programme, which is already very substantial, joint exercises and cooperation in defence equipment, official sources said.
The decision between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung, who held wide-ranging talks towards transforming ties to comprehensive partnership, to boost defence and security ties happened amid China's aggression in the region.
"We will quickly operationalise the 100 million dollars LoC that will enable Vietnam acquire new naval vessels from India. We have also agreed to enhance our security cooperation, including in counter-terrorism," Modi said.
Vietnam wants the vessel for surveillance off its coast and around its military bases in the Spratly island chain in the South China Sea where it is building a credible naval deterrent to China with Kilo-class submarines from Russia.
Sources also said that talks are on to train Vietnam Air Force pilots in flying Sukhoi fighters as well. India is already training the Vietnam Navy personnel in operating the Russian -origin Kilo-class submarine among other areas.
The two leaders also called for "restraint" and "freedom of navigation" in the South China Sea, where China is embroiled in a bitter dispute with Vietnam and other nations. Beijing is on a collision course with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
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