The Indian Navy’s third ship INS Kiltan arrived at Long Uk Port in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on Thursday (Dec. 24), carrying 15 tons of humanitarian supplies to be donated to flood-affected people in central Vietnam, and will conduct a two-day joint exercise with the Vietnamese Navy in the South China Sea on Saturday (26).
The Hindustan Times reported that the purpose of the Cheldan’s trip is to strengthen maritime cooperation between the Indian and Vietnamese navies and to contribute to the maintenance of regional peace and stability.
The Indian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that the visit of the third ship “Cheldan” to Vietnam is one of the activities of the “Mission Sagar-III” (Mission Sagar-III) carried out by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The project is to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities to friendly countries during the new coronavirus outbreak.
India’s Ministry of Defense said the project highlights India as a trusted partner and the Indian Navy as a priority and rapid response security partner.
On Monday (21), Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc co-chaired a video conference in which the two countries signed seven agreements in the fields of port services, oil refining and nuclear energy, and issued a joint statement on peace and prosperity. During the meeting, Modi said Vietnam is an important ally of India’s “Go East Policy” and that India views its relations with Vietnam from a strategic and long-term standpoint.
At the meeting, Nguyen Xuan Phuc stressed that Vietnam and India upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016, consolidating mutual confidence and enhancing mutual understanding of each other’s vision and interests in international affairs, Vietnam’s state media Vietnam News Agency said. Vietnam expressed its approval of India’s offer of the next loan.
Previously, India has handed over to Vietnam one of the 12 high-speed patrol boats built for the country, a shipbuilding project for which the Indian government has provided a $100 million loan.
In recent years, China has been reclaiming land and building military facilities in the South China Sea, and its ships have repeatedly entered the exclusive economic zones of claimant countries in the South China Sea, causing tensions and disputes in the South China Sea. The Hindustan Times said the strengthening of cooperation between India and Vietnam reflects the concern of both countries over China’s aggressive behavior in the South China Sea.
Recent Comments