Key discussions included new
cooperation areas such as cyber security and military medicine, culminating in
the signing of a Letter of Intent to enhance training exchanges. The dialogue,
held on Thursday, 1 August, was co-chaired by Defence Secretary Giridhar
Aramane and Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien,
Deputy Minister of National Defence of Vietnam. The meeting reviewed the
progress made since the signing of the ‘Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam
Defence Partnership towards 2030’ in June 2022.
Vietnam proposed five key areas for enhanced
defence cooperation: Delegation Exchanges and Dialogue; Staff Talks; Service-to-Service
Cooperation;Education and Training and Defence Industry Cooperation
Following the meeting, a Letter of Intent was signed
to bolster cooperation in training, including the exchange of instructors and
experts.
· Defence Secretary Aramane emphasized the potential of India’s domestic defence industry to support capacity and capability enhancements for Vietnam’s armed forces. Defence cooperation remains a cornerstone of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Vietnam. Vietnam is a key partner in India’s Act East Policy and plays a significant role in the Indo-Pacific Region