Viet Nam and India will focus their defence cooperation on applying technological advances and developing information technology and defence industry, it was agreed at the 9^th Viet Nam-India defence dialogue in New Delhi on January 16.

Deputy Defence Minister, Sen. Lieut. Gen Nguyen Chi Vinh (R) and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

At the dialogue, Deputy Defence Minister, Sen. Lieut. Gen Nguyen Chi Vinh and his Indian counterpart Shri R.K. Mathur also agreed that both sides will continue sharing defence strategies and polices via visits and training courses for armies, especially naval forces.

The Indian side promised to partner with Viet Nam in its preparations to join UN peacekeeping mission.

Deputy Minister Shri Mathur reiterated that India always wants to foster cooperation with Viet Nam, which is considered a pillar in its Look East policy.

Deputy Minister Vinh, for his part, vowed to do his best to develop bilateral defence ties in a way that matches potentials of both nations.

Reviewing the progress of bilateral defence partnership, they took note of the progress in implementing a 100 million USD credit that India provides to Viet Nam to build ships for Vietnamese law enforcement forces at sea.

The Vietnamese Deputy Defence Minister was received by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval the same day.