PM Modi: India-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership can contribute to regional stability

Asserting that close cooperation between India and Vietnam can contribute to promoting regional stability, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reassured his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh of ensuring "comprehensive strategic partnership" between the two nations.

Modi spoke to Pham over the telephone on Saturday and asserted that the two countries share a similar vision of an open, inclusive, peaceful and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.

Congratulating Pham on his appointment as the premier of Vietnam, Modi expressed confidence that India-Vietnam ties will become stronger under the former's able guidance, the Prime Minister's Office in Delhi said in a statement.

"Spoke on phone with H.E. Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Vietnam. Reviewed all aspects of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reiterated our shared vision for Indo-Pacific, and agreed to maintain close cooperation including in the UNSC," Modi tweeted.

He welcomed the fact that both countries share a similar vision of an open, inclusive, peaceful and rules-based Indo-Pacific Region, and hence the India-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership can contribute to promote regional stability, prosperity and development, the PMO said.

In this context, Prime Minister Modi also noted that both India and Vietnam were presently fellow-members of the UN Security Council, it said.

Modi thanked PM Pham for the valuable support provided by the government and people of Vietnam during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in India, the statement said.

The leaders agreed that both the countries should continue consultations and cooperation to support each other's continuing efforts against the pandemic.

Both the prime ministers reviewed the state of bilateral relations and shared their views on different areas of cooperation, the PMO said.

Noting that the year 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the two leaders agreed to celebrate this milestone in a befitting manner through various commemorative activities, the statement said.

Prime Minister Modi also invited his Vietnamese counterpart to undertake an official visit to India at an early suitable date.

The official newspaper of the Vietnamese government said both leaders agreed to promote the role of the existing consultation and dialogue mechanisms while expanding cooperation in defense industry, UN-led peacekeeping operations, and responding to traditional and non-traditional security challenges.

They committed to strengthening mutual support and coordination at regional and international forums, especially the UN as both countries are current non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, the Vietnamese side said.