India and Vietnam agreed to expand their bilateral cooperation as President Ram Nath Kovind visits Hanoi on Tuesday. The agreement ensures the cooperation of both countries in areas that include defense, peaceful uses of atomic energy and outer space as well as science and technology, oil and gas, infrastructure development, agriculture, and innovation-based sectors.
President Ram was scheduled to leave on Sunday on a week-long visit to Vietnam and Australia. His trip was aimed at establishing deep cooperation with the two countries in terms of defense, security, and trade. The two countries are the key strategic partners of India. The president was accompanied by India's Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Anant Kumar Hegde.
On his press briefing, Secretary in the External Affairs Minister Vijay Thakur Sing said that the president will start his trip from the Vietnamese coastal city of Da Nang. He is expected to visit Hanoi where the meeting with political leaders will take place. He is also expected to address the National Assembly of Vietnam.
The president signed four MOUs in the fields that include communication, education, and trade and investments as a start of the bilateral agenda. According to President Kovind, they are committed to further deepen their defense and security cooperation. He added that he reassures India's commitment to providing training support for Vietnam Armed Forces. India is also reviewing their implementation of the Line of Credit amounting to the U.S. $100 million to be used in building high-end patrol vessels for Vietnamese Border Guards.
The Indian President described his conversation with President Phu Trong as "extensive and productive". According to him, their discussions covered the full range of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. He added that they reassured the importance of building a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region on the basis of respect for national sovereignty and international law.
India and Vietnam are Comprehensive Strategic Partners with a strong bilateral relationship that is based on "mutual trust, understanding, the convergence of views on regional and international issues and strengthen cooperation in regional and multilateral fore".
President Kovind proceeded to Australia on 21 November. He is the first Indian President to visit the country. He was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Scott Marrison. They are scheduled to reveal the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Parramatta to commemorate his 150th birthday. He is expected to visit Sidney and Melbourne and meet Governor-General Peter Cosgrove.
