India-Vietnam military ties taking shape

The pact, envisaged at boosting strategic ties between the countries and seen as a prelude to a formal defence MoU between the countries, was signed by Defence Minister A K Antony with his Vietnamese counterpart General Phung Quang Thanh in Hanoi.

Antony, on his first visit to Vietnam after taking over as Defence Minister last year, said a four-member Army team will visit Hanoi next year to train Vietnamese Army on conduct of UN peacekeeping operations. The countries are now moving towards signing a detailed MoU after identifying areas of possible cooperation. “The two sides have agreed to set up a Joint Working Group to facilitate the signing of MoU on defence cooperation,” the Defence Ministry spokesperson said.

Vietnam is looking at sending more military personnel for training to India. “The Vietnamese minister suggested an increase in the frequency of goodwill visits by naval ships, application of information technology in defence and e-technology and technical support to their navy,” the spokesperson said.

The Vietnamese Defence Minister also suggested an increase in joint naval and military exercises between the two countries. Antony is on a three-day visit to the country and is expected to leave for Delhi on Wednesday.