2019 – Posted in: Press Information Bureau

India-Pacific region

(Vice President’s Secretariat)

WHAT

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu emphasized the importance of building a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region on the basis of respect for national sovereignty and international law and expressed the hope that the concerned countries would be able to reach a consensus on Code of Conduct in South China Sea.

NEW COMMITMENTS

Both India and Vietnam were fully committed to an open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based regional architecture based on freedom of navigation and over flight, unimpeded economic activities and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the international law.
Both have agreed to provide a new direction, momentum and substance to the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Both the countries to further strengthen Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Describing Vietnam as a “strategic pillar of India’s Act East Policy and our key interlocutor in ASEAN”, the Vice President said India’s commitment to be a reliable development partner was stronger than before.
Both the countries agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in defence and security, outer space, science and technology, oil and gas, renewable energy, infrastructure development, agriculture and innovation-based sectors.

DEFENCE & SECURITY COOPERATION

The bilateral defence and security cooperation between the two countries was robust.
India was providing extensive training support to Vietnamese Armed Forces and the implementation of the Line of Credit of US Dollars 100 million for building high speed patrol vessels for Vietnamese Border Guards was progressing satisfactorily.

BILATERAL TRADE

Bilateral trade, which stood at nearly US Dollars 14 billion last year having nearly doubled from US Dollars 7.8 billion three years ago.
India expressed confidence of achieving bilateral trade target of US Dollars 15 billion by 2020.
India calling for relaxing trade barriers and facilitating free trade between the two countries.

TOURISM SECTOR

Shri Naidu also said that he was looking forward for direct air connectivity between our two countries with the Indian civil aviation carrier Indigo planning to start direct flights between India and Vietnam later this year.

CULTURAL RELATIONS

The Vice President assured that India would continue the long-term and short duration scholarships and training programmes provided under ITEC programme and by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
These programmes have been most effectively used in the agriculture sector, making a tangible difference in the lives of the Vietnamese people.

Source: PIB

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