New Delhi, May 6 (IANS) As they agreed to further strengthen cooperation and enhance engagements in both traditional and emerging areas of defence cooperation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vietnam President To Lam on Wednesday welcomed the steady progress in the implementation of the Defence Lines of Credit extended by India for the Southeast Asian nation which have further strengthened Vietnam’s defence capabilities and advanced bilateral defence cooperation.

To Lam, also the General Secretary of the Central Committee of Communist Party of Vietnam, is currently on a three-day visit to India and held wide-ranging discussions with PM Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday during which both leaders reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

It was also decided to elevate the bilateral relations to Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the spirit of ‘shared vision, strategic convergence, substantive cooperation’, further translating the enormous goodwill into tangible outcomes.

According to the Joint Statement released after the meeting, the President To Lam congratulated Prime Minister Modi for “significant achievements” in national development, high economic growth and for India’s initiatives to strengthen multilateralism and to promote Global South cooperation

The two leaders reaffirmed that defence and security cooperation is a key pillar of the India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and commended the effective implementation of the Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030, which continues to guide the growing defence ties between the two countries.

They also decided to enhance defence systems procurement between the two countries.

“The leaders agreed to further strengthen cooperation and enhance engagements in both traditional and emerging areas of defence cooperation, including defence policy dialogue, joint exercises, staff talks, joint research and co-production of new defence technologies, enhanced port calls by Naval vessels and Air force aircrafts, peacekeeping activities, information sharing, hydrography, defence exhibitions, capacity building, defence industrial cooperation, maritime security, maritime safety, and search and rescue operations based on mutual interest and priorities of the two countries, which will also contribute to greater stability in the wider Indo-Pacific region,” read the Joint Statement.

Underlining the link between prosperity and security, the leaders reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, while pursuing the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), without resorting to threat or use of force.

The Joint Statement detailed that the two leaders called for the “full and effective implementation” of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in its entirety and the early conclusion of negotiations towards a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS, that does not prejudice the legitimate rights and interests of all nations, including those not party to these negotiations.

“The leaders unequivocally condemned terrorism in all forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism. They called for zero tolerance of terrorism and for concerted international efforts to combat terrorism in a comprehensive and sustained manner, including through the UN and the FATF. The leaders called for disrupting of terror financing networks and safe havens, dismantling of terror infrastructure and bringing perpetrators of terrorism to justice swiftly,” it stated.

Vietnam welcomed India’s 2026 BRICS Chairmanship, while India reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Vietnam’s role as a BRICS partner country.

“The leaders recognized that Vietnam is a key pillar in India’s Act East Policy, Vision MAHASAGAR and Indo-Pacific Vision, driving India’s engagement with the Mekong sub-region, ASEAN and Indo-Pacific. The leaders reaffirmed their shared vision for a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. Vietnam appreciated India’s consistent support for ASEAN Unity and ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture for regional peace, stability and prosperity. The two sides supported further strengthening of the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which complements bilateral relations with respective Member States.”

–IANS

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