pankajs wrote:EconomicTimes @EconomicTimes 21m21 minutes ago
Bolstering #ActEast Policy: India to train Vietnamese intelligence forces
http://ow.ly/Letgn
Let me give a comprehensive account of recent developments in India-Vietnam relationship.
On Oct 12, 2011, during his visit to India, the Vietnamese President, Truong Tan Sang, signed six agreements including an agreement to promote oil exploration in South China Sea along with a slew of pacts, including an extradition treaty, to deepen trade, security and strategic ties between the two countries. Indian Prime Minister, Man Mohan Singh said “India and Vietnam are maritime neighbours. We face common security challenges from terrorism, piracy and natural disasters. We believe that it is important to ensure the safety and security of the vital sea lanes of communication. We have agreed to continue and strengthen our exchanges in these fields”. In the field of security cooperation, the two countries instituted a mechanism of a biennial dialogue on security issues between Ministry of Home Affairs and its Vietnamese counterpart. In November 2013, at the end of visiting Vietnam Communist Party general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s dialogues with Indian Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh, a joint statement was issued which said, “we reaffirmed the importance of defence and security cooperation and agreed to strengthen it further. India will continue to assist Vietnam in modernisation and training of its defence and security forces. Both leaders termed defence cooperation a “significant pillar” of strategic partnership and noted the increased pace of defence dialogue, training and exercises, ship visits, capacity building and exchanges between think tanks. After his September 2014 state visit, the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee said, "India has always stood by and supported the people of Vietnam. We were with them then, we are with them now and we will continue to stand strongly with Vietnam in the future. Vietnam has in India a dependable and trustworthy partner.” A joint communique issued at the end of the visit said that the two sides called for collective commitment of the parties concerned to abide by and implement the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and to work towards the adoption of a Code of Conduct on the basis of consensus. They also said that the freedom of navigation in the East Sea/South China Sea should not be impeded. Without naming any country, they called on all parties concerned to exercise restraint, avoid threat or use of force and resolve disputes through peaceful means. In November 2011, the Indian Navy Chief, Adm. Nirmal Verma, said at a seminar on national security that ‘South China Sea was an area of significant concern’ as there was a ‘potential for conflict’ there and ‘institutional arrangements to resolve potential crises’ were inadequate. With over 40% of India’s growing exports to the US and all of India’s trade with Korea and Japan traversing the South China Sea, Indian concerns are very valid.
Since c. 2010, the defence ties between India and Vietnam have been improving. In October 2013, on the eve of the Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to India, the two countries decided to join hands in maintenance and co-production.. India agreed to partner with Vietnam in areas of submarine and fighter aircraft training and transfer of medium-sized warships. During the state visit of India President, Pranab Mukharjee, in September 2014, India offered Vietnam a line of credit of USD 100 million for purchase of defence equipment. It was meant to be used for the purchase of Brah Mos though neither side confirmed it. India is already training the Vietnam Navy personnel in - among other things - operating the Russian-origin Kilo-class submarine. So far it has trained over 500 personnel of the Vietnamese Navy. But Hanoi wants more. By March 2015, Vietnam had received three Varshavyanka-class (improved Kilo) submarines and three more were on order by Vietnam. India and Vietnam could arrive at an agreement to launch Vietnam's satellites into space. India is also keen on establishing a satellite tracking, data reception and processing centre in Ho Chi Minh city.Vietnam has also indicated a desire to purchase four Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) from Indian yards to police the South China Sea. After meeting the visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung, on October 28, 2014, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said,” Our defence cooperation with Vietnam is among our most important ones. India remains committed to the modernization of Vietnam's defence and security forces. This will include expansion of our training programme, which is already very substantial, joint-exercises and cooperation in defence equipment. We will quickly operationalise the $100 million line of credit that will enable Vietnam acquire new naval vessels from India.” The Vietnamese Prime Minister, Mr. Nguyen said Vietnam “highly appreciated India’s position regarding the East Sea [South China Sea] issue and India’s continued cooperation with Vietnam in oil and gas exploration.” In January 2015, the two countries upgraded their strategic defence dialogue from the secretaries level to that of the level of Defence Ministers. The two defence ministers, Phung Quang Thanh of Vietnam and Manohar Parrikar of India, chaired the first such dialogue in new Delhi in January 2015. By all accounts the sale of BrahMos to Vietnam was also through including the approval of the joint partner, Russia. India wanted to enter the MTCR before signing the deal. The Indian Army Chief, Gen. Dalbir Suhag, visited Vietnam in December 2014 to strengthen the army-to-army relationship between the two countries.
China has in July, 2011 expressed serious displeasure about India's growing ties with Vietnam. On August 18, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua analyzed the India-Vietnam relationship, saying it would create "challenges" for China. It highlighted the Indian Navy's goodwill visit to Vietnam, saying, "It is a clear indication that Vietnam is attempting to include a third country in the South Sea dispute."