Rajnath Singh calls on Vietnamese President To Lam, reaffirms defence ties
Hanoi, May 19
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday called on the President of Vietnam, To Lam, and reaffirmed India's commitment to further deepen Defence cooperation with Hanoi.
In a post on X, Rajnath Singh said that he conveyed the warm greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Vietnamese President.
"Honoured to call on the General Secretary (Communist Party) and President of Vietnam during my visit to Vietnam. Conveyed warm greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and reaffirmed India's commitment to further deepen Defence cooperation, which is a key pillar of the Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between our two countries," Rajnath Singh said in a post on X.
"India and Vietnam share a strong bond rooted in mutual trust, shared values and close cooperation in defence, security and regional stability," he added.
Rajnath Singh also held a ministerial-level bilateral meeting with Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang, where the two countries reviewed the defence partnership and discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation in the areas of maritime security, defence industry, training, and regional stability.
In a post on X, Rajnath Singh shared the outcome of the "effective" bilateral meeting and committed to strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Vietnam.
"There was an effective bilateral meeting with Senior Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defence of Vietnam. Both sides reviewed the increasingly developing defence partnership between India and Vietnam and discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation in the areas of maritime security, defence industry, training, and regional stability. India remains committed to strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Vietnam," he said.
Rajnath Singh, with Phan Van Giang, also inaugurated the Language Laboratory established at the Vietnam Air Force Officer College.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Hanoi on Monday, kicking off the Vietnam leg of his two-nation tour aimed at deepening India's strategic and defence partnerships across the Indo-Pacific.
The visit comes shortly after the state visit of To Lam to New Delhi, signalling growing momentum in bilateral defence ties between the two countries. During that visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and To Lam reaffirmed that defence and security cooperation is a key pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations. India and Vietnam agreed to further strengthen cooperation and enhance engagements in both traditional and emerging areas of defence cooperation and decided to enhance defence systems procurement between the two countries.
Vietnam is the first leg of Rajnath Singh's two-nation tour. He will subsequently travel to South Korea for the second leg of the visit, where defence manufacturing, military industry collaboration and technology cooperation are expected to dominate the agenda.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Vietnam is a reliable partner for India in Southeast Asia. The focus on maritime security is spot-on given the South China Sea tensions. But I hope we also talk about joint exercises in the Indian Ocean, not just arms deals. Need more people-to-people exchanges too! 😊
Good that our ministers are active in building these relationships. But I hope we also focus on trade and investment along with defence. Vietnam's economy is growing fast and we need to tap into that market more. Defence alone shouldn't be the only pillar. Just my two cents! 💭
Vietnam is an old friend from the Cold War days. This visit shows continuity in our foreign policy. The timing is important too - with the US and others also engaging Vietnam, India must maintain its lead. The language lab is a nice soft-power touch. Good diplomatic move overall! 👍
I appreciate the effort to strengthen ties, but I hope we also learn from Vietnam's development model. They have amazing growth story in manufacturing and poverty reduction. Defence is important, but we could gain so much more from economic cooperation. Still, good to see our leaders engaging with ASEAN partners! 😊
This is a smart move especially given the China factor. Vietnam and India share similar concerns about territorial integrity. The maritime security cooperation is a must in today's world. Hope this leads to more joint exercises and maybe even some joint production of defence equipment. Good going Team India! 🇮🇳🇻🇳
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