New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the sidelines of the ongoing ASEAN summit in Bangkok, during which they discussed the threat of extremism and terrorism and agreed to work closely to tackle this menace.
The two leaders reiterated their desire to promote peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, and committed to the maintenance of a rules-based order that is based on respect for international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. PM Modi conveyed India’s readiness to work closely with Vietnam as the incoming Chairman of ASEAN for 2020, and during its tenure as a non-permanent member of UNSC for 2020-2021.
Noting the enhanced engagement in defence and security fields, both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in the maritime domain, the MEA said.
“It was highlighted during the meeting that recent high-level exchanges between both countries have resulted in robust cooperation in several areas, expansion of defence and security ties, forging of closer economic and commercial linkages and deepening of people-to-people engagement,” the statement read.
The two leaders reaffirmed the historical and traditionally friendly relations between the two countries and emphasised that India-Vietnam relations have been built on a firm foundation of cultural and civilisational links and are marked by mutual trust and understanding as well as strong cooperation in regional and international fora. (ANI)