As India, Vietnam strengthen ties, PM Modi speaks against ‘expansionism’

NEW DELHI: India and Vietnam on Thursday adopted an action plan to expand their strategic ties, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowing to work jointly for a rules-based Indo-Pacific and asserting that New Delhi supports development and “not expansionism.” His remarks came amid concerns over China’s military posturing in the region.

The two sides signed six memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and finalised three other documents to broaden cooperation in a range of areas following wide-ranging talks between Modi and his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh.

It was also decided that India will provide a USD 300 million credit line to Vietnam, primarily to strengthen the Southeast Asian nation’s maritime security.

An agreement was sealed between the central banks of the two countries for rolling out digital payment connectivity.

Chinh arrived in Delhi on Tuesday night on a three-day visit aimed at further expanding the comprehensive strategic ties between the two countries.

“In our Act East policy and our Indo-Pacific vision, Vietnam is our important partner... We support development, not expansionism (Hum vistarbad nahi, vikasvad ka samarthan karte hei),” Modi said in Hindi in his media statement.

“We will continue our cooperation for a free, open, rules-based, and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” he said. Modi added that both sides decided to strengthen cooperation to address terrorism and cyber security issues.

“We believe that ‘Developed India 2047’ and Vietnam’s ‘Vision 2045’ have accelerated development in both countries. This is opening up many new areas of mutual cooperation,” Modi said.

“And therefore, to further strengthen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, today we have adopted a new plan of action,” he said.

Modi noted that new steps have been taken for cooperation in the field of defence and security.

The two Prime Ministers also remotely inaugurated an Army Software Park at Telecommunications University Nha Trang. It has been built with New Delhi’s development assistance.

“The agreed USD 300 million credit line will strengthen Vietnam’s maritime security,” Modi said.

“We agree that, to realise the mutual trade potential, the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement should be concluded as early as possible,” he said.

Vietnam is a key member of the 10-nation ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

“We have decided to focus on the areas of green economy and new emerging technologies. Each other’s capabilities in energy and port development will be harnessed for mutual benefit,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister also invited people from Vietnam to the Buddhist circuit in India. “And we want the youth of Vietnam to also take advantage of Nalanda University.”

In his remarks, Modi said India-Vietnam relations have both “expanded and deepened” over the past decade. “In the last 10 years, we have transformed our relations into a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Our bilateral trade has increased by more than 85 per cent,” he said.

“Over the past decade, connectivity has increased. And today we have more than 50 direct flights between us. Along with this, tourism is continuously increasing, and people have also been given the facility of e-visa,” Modi said.