New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be on an official visit to Vietnam between June 8-10 at the invitation of Vietnam's Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang. Singh will start his visit by paying respects to Late President Ho Chi Minh at his Mausoleum in Hanoi. According to the Ministry of Defence, Singh will hold bilateral talks with General Phan Van Giang, during which both the Ministers will review defence cooperation between the two countries and explore new initiatives to further strengthen the defence engagements. The two Ministers will also exchange views on regional and global issues of shared interest.
The Defence Minister is also scheduled to call on the President of Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. At the Hong Ha Shipyard in Hai Phong, Singh will preside over the handing over ceremony of 12 high-speed Guard Boats constructed under the Government of India's USD 100 million Defence Line of Credit to Vietnam. This project is significant in the context of the growing defence industry cooperation with Vietnam. During the visit, the Defence Minister will also visit the training institutions of Vietnam at Nha Trang, including the Telecommunication University where an Army Software Park is being established with USD 5 million grant from Government of India.He will also attend a community event organised by the Embassy of India, Hanoi and interact with the Indian diaspora in Vietnam.
India and Vietnam share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership since 2016 and defence cooperation is a key pillar of this partnership. Vietnam is an important partner in India's Act East policy and the Indo-Pacific vision, said the Ministry. Bilateral defence engagements have expanded over a period of time to include wide-ranging contacts between the two countries, including defence policy dialogues, military-to-military exchanges, high-level visits, capacity building and training programmes, cooperation in UN Peace Keeping, ship visits and bilateral exercises. The Defence Minister's visit on the historic occasion of 50 years of establishment of India-Vietnam Diplomatic relations and 75 years of India's Independence will further consolidate the bilateral defence cooperation and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.—ANI