Defense Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with Vietnam’s Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang and announced that India will gift the indigenously built missile warship INS Kirpan to the Navy of Vietnam. Jiang has come on a two-day visit to India. The Defense Ministry said in a statement that both sides reviewed the progress of several bilateral defense cooperation initiatives and expressed satisfaction over the partnership. The ministers specifically identified defense industry, maritime security and means of enhancing existing areas of multinational cooperation. Both sides have been focused on further strengthening bilateral defense cooperation and have been reviewing the situation in the South China Sea. China’s influence is increasing in this region.
Milestone in the direction of enhancing the capabilities of the Navy
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh announced that the gifting of the indigenously built missile warship INS Kirpan will prove to be a milestone towards enhancing the capabilities of Vietnam’s Navy. Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan and other senior officials of the Ministry of Defense also attended the meeting. General Jiang came to India on 18 June on a two-day visit. Vietnamese Defense Minister visited the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) Headquarters and discussed ways to expand defense industry capabilities by increasing cooperation in defense research and joint production.
Tribute paid to soldiers at National War Memorial
Earlier, General Jiang inspected the salute guard of the three armies and paid tribute to the soldiers at the National War Memorial. He can also visit Agra. The Defense Ministry said that Vietnam is an important partner in India’s Act East policy and in the Indo-Pacific region. In July 2007, the level of relations between the two countries reached the level of strategic partnership during the visit of the then Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Tan Dung to India. Bilateral relations were upgraded to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Vietnam in 2016.
