Vietnam a key partner for India in ASEAN and Indo-Pacific

New Delhi, Dec 17: Vietnam is a key partner for India in the ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific, and their partnership is a significant stabilizing factor, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday.
In his address at the celebration of the 5th Anniversary of India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which was participated by Vuong Dinh Hue, President, National Assembly of Vietnam, and members of the Parliamentary delegation accompanying him, the EAM said that next year the two sides will mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of India-Vietnam diplomatic relations.
“The mutual trust and sincere bonds of friendship that have developed over this half century has matured into a partnership that we see today. And it is truly a wide ranging one, that encompasses political engagement, trade & investment ties, energy cooperation, development partnership, defence and security cooperation, and people-to-people relations.”
“India’s Act East Policy has been the guiding principle of our engagements with ASEAN partners and Vietnam is no exception. The success of this policy has led us to adopt a larger Indo-Pacific approach that captures India’s growing strategic interests more effectively.
As political and security partners, the two sides have converging interests in a multi-polar and rebalancing world, and both have been supportive of each other’s objectives, whether in ASEAN-led forums or on global platforms.
“Our cooperation in the UN Security Council this year has been exemplary. Our shared respect for international law, including UNCLOS 1982, and a rules-based order is a strong commonality. It is this larger vision of how we wish to see the world evolve that really brings us together. We are both societies that are fiercely independent and deeply committed to maintaining our freedom of choices. These traits make us the foundation of a multi-polar Asia in the coming years,” he stressedOn trade ties, he said that bilateral trade has been robust even in the midst of global uncertainties. It crossed the US$ 10 billion mark in 2020, and is likely to exceed US$ 12 billion this year.
“To realize its full potential, however, we should work towards promoting reliable, efficient and resilient supply chain systems. And fashion a complementarity between India’s vision of self-reliance and Vietnam’s growing economic vitality. We hope that the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement that is under review will help expand our trade targets,” he said.
On the development partnership, he said that India has shared its experience in the fields of IT, science & technology, defence, agriculture, and space.
Under the Mekong Ganga Cooperation framework, India has been implementing Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) in Vietnam, numbering 37 in 33 provinces to date. These projects are not only bringing benefits to the local community, but also helping Vietnam in reaching its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He said the close friendship between India and Vietnam is underpinned by its two millennia old historical and cultural linkages. The Archaeological Survey of India has been a particularly effective vehicle to rediscover these roots.
Recalling the recent finding of a 9th century monolithic Shiva Linga by ASI experts at the My Son Temple complex, he said that as the virtual summit decided, in December last year, “we intend to expand our activities now to cover another block of the Cham Temple at My Son, the Dong Duong monastery at Quang Nam and the Nhan Cham Tower at Phu Yen.”
“From the Indian perspective, Vietnam is a key partner both in the ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific context. We already have a substantial agenda underway whether it is in commerce, connectivity or culture. Our political and defence cooperation has also been steadily growing. These can be further buttressed by interaction between the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative that has been proposed by India.”
“At a time of global uncertainty and post-Covid economic recovery, the India-Vietnam partnership will be a significant stabilizing factor in the Indo-Pacific. Keeping our national ambitions and global responsibilities in mind, we must forge ahead,” the EAM said.
In tweets, he said: “Joined Vietnamese National Assembly President Vuong Dinh Hue at 5th anniversary celebrations of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
“Vietnam is a key partner, both in the ASEAN & the Indo-Pacific. Our partnership is a significant stabilizing factor.”
He also presented a photograph of President Ho Chi Minh at Sapru house in 1958 to the National Assembly President.