14th India-Vietnam Defence Policy Dialogue Held in New Delhi

The 14th India-Vietnam Defence Policy Dialogue took place in New Delhi, focusing on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation. 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.

Meeting Details

The dialogue, held on Thursday, 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.

Proposals and Agreements

Vietnam proposed five key areas for enhanced defence cooperation:

• Delegation Exchanges and Dialogue
• Staff Talks
• Service-to-Service Cooperation
• Education and Training
• Defence Industry Cooperation

Following the meeting, a Letter of Intent was signed to bolster cooperation in training, including the exchange of instructors and experts.

Emerging Areas of Cooperation

India proposed focusing on emerging areas such as:

• Cyber Security
• Information Security
• Military Medicine
• Submarine Search and Rescue

Defence Secretary Aramane emphasized the potential of India’s domestic defence industry to support capacity and capability enhancements for Vietnam’s armed forces.

Strategic Importance

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.