NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc held “productive discussions” at a virtual summit held on Monday and exchanged views on wide-ranging bilateral, regional and global issues with the two countries adopting a “Joint Vision for Peace, Prosperity and People” to guide the future development of India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
To implement the vision, a plan of action for the period 2021-2023 was also signed between the two Foreign Ministers, which identify concrete follow up actions.
The two countries also signed some other agreements including on Implementing Arrangement on Defence Industry Cooperation.
Briefing reporters about the discussions at the virtual summit, Riva Ganguly, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs said both leaders agreed to explore practical cooperation based on convergences between India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI) and the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP) which Vietnam subscribes to.
During discussions on regional and multilateral issues, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated that Vietnam is an important pillar of India’s Act East Policy as well as our Indo-Pacific Vision. Both leaders also spoke of the importance of promoting a rules-based order in the region including by upholding international law, especially the UNCLOS.
The leaders affirmed that a peaceful, stable, secure, free, open, inclusive and rules-based region is in the common interest of all countries. Prime Minister stressed that the Code of Conduct negotiations on the South China Sea should not prejudice the interest of other countries in the region. He congratulated Vietnam for successfully steering the ASEAN Presidency despite the disruptions of COVID-19.
India also agreed to enhance its development assistance to Vietnam’s Mekong delta region under the Mekong-Ganga cooperation framework, including in critical areas such as water security.
Ganguly said in the area of defence cooperation, which is one of the key pillars of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the two leaders identified defence industry cooperation as a priority.
“The summit provided an opportunity to handover one High-Speed Guard Boat to Vietnam, launch of two other vessels manufactured in India, and keel-laying seven vessels being manufactured in Vietnam, under the US$ 100 million Defence Line of Credit extended by Government of India for High Speed Guard Boats Manufacturing Project with Vietnam,” she said.
Both sides agreed to further intensify their defence industry collaboration building on the Indian defence credit lines extended to Vietnam. An Implementing Arrangement on Defence Industry Cooperation was also signed to this effect. She said a G2G agreement was signed under which India will extend a grant of US$ 5 million to establish an IT infrastructure at the Army Software Park in Telecommunications University at Nha Trang.
Both leaders also agreed to further institutionalize defence exchanges through mutual logistics support, regular ship visits, joint exercises, exchanges in military science and technology, information sharing, as well as cooperation in UN peacekeeping.
As part of their discussion on security cooperation, both Prime Ministers also discussed closer engagement in dealing with traditional and non-traditional threats in cyber and maritime domain, terrorism, natural disasters, health security, water security, and transnational crimes.
On terrorism, there was a strong convergence of views between the two leaders in promoting coordination to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism, terror financing networks and safe havens.
The two Prime Ministers underscored the importance of promoting closer people-to-people exchanges. Both leaders announced the launch of a joint project to publish an Encyclopaedia of India – Viet Nam Cultural and Civilizational Relations in time to mark the 50th anniversary of India – Viet Nam diplomatic relations in 2022, she said.
“Both leaders exchanged views on wide-ranging bilateral, regional and global issues. In this context, the two Prime Ministers adopted a “Joint Vision for Peace, Prosperity and People” to guide the future development of India-Viet Nam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”
Ganguly said a number of documents were concluded and announcements made during the summit.
“The discussions at today’s virtual summit were productive. Both leaders exchanged views on wide-ranging bilateral, regional and global issues. In this context, the two Prime Ministers adopted a “Joint Vision for Peace, Prosperity and People” to guide the future development of India-Viet Nam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. To implement this Vision, a Plan of Action for the period 2021-2023 was also signed between the two Foreign Ministers, which identify concrete follow up actions,” she said.
Ganguly said there was a discussion in the context of both India and Vietnam concurrently serving as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.
“Both Prime Ministers agreed that India and Vietnam should work closely to actively promote “reformed multilateralism” to make international organizations, including the UN Security Council, more representative, contemporary and capable of dealing with current challenges. Vietnam reiterated its strong support for India’s permanent membership in an expanded UN Security Council.”
Prime Minister invited Vietnamese companies to invest in India and highlighted the urgent need for a long-overdue review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) as a concrete step towards revitalizing economic engagement between India and Vietnam as well as the larger ASEAN region
The two leaders also agreed to intensify the development partnership that will enable achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), develop capabilities to address climate change and further augment capacity-building engagement through Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) and e-ITEC initiatives.
PM Modi offered to raise the annual number of Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) in Vietnam. “In a further demonstration of our development cooperation, coinciding with the Summit, seven Development Projects completed with Indian ‘Grant-in-Aid’ Assistance of USD 1.5 million for the benefit of the local community in Viet Nam’s Ninh Thuan province were handed over,” the MEA Secretary said.
She said overall, it was a fruitful exchange between the two leaders, allowing them an opportunity to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and set new directions for the future of this important partnership.
“Their reaffirmation to enhance bilateral cooperation in all areas of engagement, support each other’s national development, and strengthen cooperation against common global challenges provides an important basis to add new substance and momentum to our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” she said. (ANI)
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