President of Vietnam Tran Dai Quang during his State Visit to India from 02-04 March 2018 held delegation-level talks with the Prime Minister of India, Narenda Modi; reflecting significant deepening of bilateral relations and enhanced multidimensional engagement since the successful visit of Prime Minister Modi to Vietnam in 2016 and elevation of the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries. They witnessed the exchange of agreements on:
- Economic and Trade Cooperation: to establish a framework for enhancing economic and trade promotion.
- Agriculture and Allied Fields: Work Plan for the years 2018-2022 between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam to promote cooperation in transfer of technology and exchange of visits of technical experts
- Nuclear Energy Partnership: on Cooperation between the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership, India (GCNEP) and the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute (VINATOM); to strengthen the technical cooperation in the field of atomic energy for peaceful purposes.
On Defence and Security both sides agreed on stronger cooperation between their armed forces and enhanced cooperation in areas of Cyber Security, and to cooperate in building a strong consensus for early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT). India affirmed its continued willingness to partner with Viet Nam in building capabilities and capacities for Vietnam. Both sides agreed to expedite the implementation of the US$100 million Line of Credit for building of high-speed patrol boats for the Vietnam Border Guards and urged for early signing of a framework agreement on the US$ 500 million Line of Credit for defence industry. They also agreed that it is essential to strengthen cooperation in maritime domain, including anti-piracy, security of sea lanes, exchange of white shipping information, etc.
On Economic Relations both sides encouraged greater two-way investment between Vietnam and India and to explore substantive and practical measures to achieve the trade target of US$15 billion by 2020. To explore new trade and investment opportunities in identified priority areas of cooperation: hydrocarbons, power generation, renewable energy, energy, conservation, infrastructure, textiles, footwear, pharmaceuticals, machine tools, agriculture and agro-products, tourism, chemicals, ICT and other service sector industries., They agreed to intensify cooperation to increase productivity, quantum and content of science and technology in agricultural products
On Development Cooperation President Tran Dai Quang highly appreciated India’s long standing and continued grants-in-aid and lines of credit for Vietnam. He thanked India for increasing scholarships to Vietnamese students, researchers, academic professionals and government officials, especially through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, the Mekong – Ganga Cooperation (MGC) framework, as well as the projects under the fund of Quick Impact Projects (QIPs), etc. Prime Minister Modi offered to organise customised courses in areas of interest to Vietnam through the ITEC programme. President Tran Dai Quang appreciated Prime Minister Modi’s announcement at the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in January 2018 of undertaking a pilot project on rural connectivity in the CLMV countries–namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, which would create Digital Villages and for offering 1000 fellowships to students and researchers from the ASEAN member states for studying integrated PhD programmes in Indian Institutes of Technology.
On Energy Cooperation the two sides agreed that their cooperation in oil and gas exploration, thermal and hydroelectric power and renewable energy and energy conservation is registering remarkable progress. President Tran Dai Quang welcomed Indian businesses to expand their oil and gas exploration and exploitation activities on land and in the continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Vietnam; and Indian oil and gas companies to avail of opportunities in the midstream and downstream sectors in Vietnam. Quang welcomed Indian companies to invest in renewable energy and energy conservation projects in Vietnam and thanked India for extending support to Vietnam in building a research reactor for the purpose of peaceful uses of atomic energy.
They agreed to intensify cooperation in the fields Culture, Education and People-to-People Exchanges.
They agreed on the importance of stronger Connectivity between Viet Nam and India as well as between ASEAN and India. India urged Viet Nam to utilise various initiatives of India for CLMV countries; including the US$1 billion line of credit for physical and digital connectivity projects and to explore the possibility of extending the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway further to Viet Nam through Cambodia and Lao PDR.
On Regional and Multilateral Cooperation Prime Minister Modi and President Tran Dai Quang shared convergence of views on various bilateral and international issues, including the regional security situation in Asia. They reiterated the importance of achieving a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region as well as in the world at large. They agreed in further strengthening of cooperation with ASEAN; and to optimally develop and utilise existing sub-regional frameworks, especially the Mekong-Ganga Economic Corridor. Both sides reaffirmed their mutual support for each other’s candidatures as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – Vietnam for the term 2020-2021, and India for the term 2021-2022 and Vietnam reiterated its consistent support for permanent membership of India in a reformed Security Council.
They also reiterated the importance of, and the need for complete compliance with international law, notably the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), and support full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and look forward to an early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.
India and Vietnam welcomed the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and reiterated their commitment to the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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