Defense

Indo Vietnam defence ties FOR COUNTER CHINA

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• published: 01 Jul 2016
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As India’s “Look East” policy is moving to the next phase of “Act East” under the Narendra Modi government, Vietnam has emerged as a key country for taking this policy forward with an eye on China. On the night of 25 May, India and Vietnam signed a Joint Vision Statement on defence cooperation for 2015-2020. A concrete manifestation of fast-developing strategic ties between New Delhi and Hanoi was signed by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his visiting Vietnamese counterpart General Phung Quang Thanh at the end of their delegation level talks. Narendra Modi with PM of Vietnam. PTI imageNarendra Modi with PM of Vietnam. PTI image An MoU on cooperation between the Coast Guards of the two countries was also signed in the presence of the two defence ministers. According to a defence ministry statement, the two sides discussed issues ranging from defence cooperation, including cooperation in the area of maritime security to reiterating their commitment to further enhancing the ongoing defence engagements between the two sides for mutual benefit. However, the defence ministry statement was silent on specific issues where the two sides are pro-actively engaged. For example, Vietnam is keen on purchasing BrahMos missiles from India. The previous UPA government had gone slow on the Vietnamese request as Russia, a co-developer of the missile, was then edgy about it because of its strategic relationship with China. But now Russia is understood to be game and has conveyed to India that it can go ahead in exporting the missiles to Vietnam. Some technical issues still remain, like India awaiting entry into the elite Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) club. Another issue which the defence ministers discussed was the sale of Indian military equipment to Vietnam, something which has never happened so far. In a first, India had extended a $100 million line of credit to Vietnam to enable the nation to purchase military equipment like patrol boats in September last. This came up for a specific mention by the Prime Minister’s Office in a brief statement after Gen Thanh met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25 May. The PMO statement said: “General Thanh briefed Prime Minister Modi about defence and security related developments in the India-Vietnam bilateral relationship. Prime Minister Modi expressed satisfaction at the progress made in bilateral defence and security cooperation since the visit of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.” The Vietnamese prime minister had visited India in October 2014 and had held talks with PM Modi. General Thanh’s just-concluded India visit is a follow up of his prime minister’s trip to India. Incidentally, Indian move of extending $100 million in line of credit, the fourth one taking the amount pledged under this mechanism to Vietnam to $191.50 million, coincided with Chine President Xi Jinping’s maiden visit to India in September last. The Chinese ire was demonstrated quickly as Chinese troops launched a major incursion into Indian territory even though Xi was on Indian soil. Visits by leaders of rival nations (Japan, Vietnam) to India are closely watched by China. Going by the Chinese track record, the Vietnamese defence minister’s India visit and the signing of a five-year joint vision statement on defence cooperation during this visit wouldn’t have gone unnoticed by China. What is more, this won’t go without some kind of reprisal from China. keyword Indo-Vietnam defence ties a worry for China,Taking on China India's defence ties with Vietnam need to be lauded,china, india, vietnam, brahmos missile, narendra modi, south china sea, cruise missile, tomonews, harpoon missile, foreign policy india, japan india, india international relations, military alliances, international relations of india, foreign policy of india, ho chi minh, southeast asia,India Tightens Ties with Vietnam to Counter China’s Entry into Indian Ocean