India, Vietnam to jointly work on open IndoPacific
PACTS INKED Vietnam Prez says he supports India’s multifaceted ‘connectivity’ with ASEAN
India and Vietnam on Saturday decided to work together for an open and prosperous Indo-Pacific along with an efficient and rules-based regional security architecture, seen as a subtle message to China over its growing military expansion in the region.
After talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang, the two sides inked three pacts aimed at cooperation in nuclear energy, trade and agriculture besides deciding to step up ties in oil and gas exploration.
“We will jointly work for an open, independent and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international laws are respected and where differences are resolved through talks,” Modi said in a statement after the talks.
Vietnam is among ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries wary of growing Chinese naval footprint in the region. Several of them also have disputes with Beijing over the resource-rich South China Sea.
In an apparent reference to the South China Sea dispute, the Vietnamese President said it supports India’s multi-faceted “connectivity” with ASEAN and asserted that there must be freedom of navigation and over flight in the region. He said that disputes must be resolved through peaceful means.
While India, the US and several other world powers have been pressing for resolution of the dispute on the basis of international law, China has been favouring a bilateral framework with respective countries.
“We reaffirm our close collaboration to support India…with ASEAN attaching high importance to the maintenance of security, maritime safety and freedom of navigation and over flight, settlement of disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law including UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (ULCLOS),” Quang said.
He said both sides also agreed to work closely to address regional security challenges including in the domain of maritime and cyber security.
Modi said both sides decided to cooperate in defence production and explore opportunities in transfer of technology and added that the two countries will also look for trilateral partnership in oil and gas sector.
During the day, Quang also met former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress parliamentary party leader Sonia Gandhi and held discussions on ties between the two countries.
Former Union minister Anand Sharma was also present during the meeting that lasted around half an hour.
During the meeting, the Congress leaders discussed matters of mutual interest between India and Vietnam, the economic situation and international issues.
The Vietnamese President is on a three-day state visit.
Quang was earlier in the day accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhawan where both President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were present.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi is out of country.