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

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

The 14th India-Vietnam Defence Policy Dialogue convened in New Delhi on August 1, 2024, with Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane and Vietnam's Deputy Minister of National Defence, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, co-chairing the event.

The dialogue focused on a review of bilateral defence cooperation, reflecting on the significant progress made since the signing of the 'Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030' in June 2022 during Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh's visit to Vietnam.

Vietnam proposed five key areas for enhanced cooperation: delegation exchanges and dialogue, staff talks, service-to-service collaboration, education and training, and defence industry cooperation. In response, Defence Secretary Shri Aramane supported these proposals and suggested additional collaboration in emerging fields such as Cyber Security, Information Security, Military Medicine, and Submarine Search & Rescue.

The Defence Secretary emphasized the potential of India's domestic defence industry to support capacity and capability building for friendly foreign nations and expressed anticipation for a productive partnership with Vietnam's armed forces and industries. Following the meeting, a Letter of Intent was signed to bolster cooperation in training, including the exchange of instructors and experts.

Defence cooperation remains a cornerstone of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Vietnam, with Vietnam being a crucial ally in India's Act East Policy and the Indo-Pacific region.