India, Vietnam vow to jointly work for open Indo- Pacific

Vow to jointly work for open, prosperous Indo- Pacific region

New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang on Saturday resolved to work jointly for an open and prosperous Indo- Pacific along with an efficient and rules- based regional security architecture, seen as a message to China over its growing military expansion in the region.

New Delhi, March 3: India and Vietnam on Saturday resolved to work jointly for an open and prosperous Indo- Pacific along with an efficient and rules- based regional security architecture, seen as a message to China over its growing military expansion in the region.

After wide- ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, the two strategic partners inked three pacts providing for cooperation in nuclear energy, trade and agriculture, besides deciding to boost ties in oil and gas exploration.

Mr Modi said both sides expressed commitment for an open, efficient and rules- based regional architecture and to expand bilateral maritime cooperation further.

“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,” Mr Modi said in a media statement in the presence of the Vietnamese President.

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.

Vietnam and several other Asean member countries have territorial disputes with China over the resource- rich South China Sea.

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 to further its relations and multi- faceted connectivity with Asean,” Mr Quang said.

Tran Dai Quang

— PTI Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav seeks blessings from party leader Shiv Pal Yadav during Holi celebrations at his native place Safai on Friday.

— SONDEEP SHANKAR Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and his wife Nguyen Thi Hien being welcomed by PM Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Saturday.