Visit of Vietnamese Defence Minister to India

India and Vietnam have already signed a Joint Vision Statement on the India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030. The early completion of the $500 million Defence Line of Credit given to Vietnam was also agreed upon by India, building on the defence cooperation. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Mutual Logistics Support (MLS) was also signed by Vietnam and India. The goal of the MLS with India is to boost defence force cooperation between the two nations. In fact, this is the first such significant agreement that Vietnam has signed with any country, according to the Ministry of Defense, and it represents a significant step towards streamlining procedures for mutually beneficial logistic cooperation. In accordance with its Act East Asia strategy, India views Vietnam as a key partner. The partnership has been elevated to a strategic level through defence cooperation. The maritime sector is another area of cooperation between the two nations. The two countries' relations improved significantly in 2016 and were further upgraded to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Vietnam. Another agreement was also signed in Hanoi in 2022 by General Phan Van Giang and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

BILATERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN INDIA AND VIETNAM

In1992, India established political and economic relations with Vietnam, and since then, those relationships have become stronger. India and Vietnam have had long-standing, cordial bilateral ties because of their similar historical experiences in the national fights for liberation from colonial domination. One of India's most significant bilateral relationships in Southeast Asia is with Vietnam. India and Vietnam improved their connection from a Strategic Partnership in 2007 to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2016. The bilateral commerce between the two countries expanded dramatically from 2021–2022, when it reached $41.4 billion, from 2000, when it was just $200 million,. This is according to a Vietnam-India business delegation meeting from July 18–22, 2022. Additionally, in 2021–2022, commerce between India and Vietnam expanded by 27%. Particularly in terms of Indo-Pacific politics and security, Vietnam has emerged as a key ally for India under the "Act East Policy." Both nations have similar strategic objectives. Energy security and the preservation of open and safe marine routes are also included. Vietnam wants to increase its strategic autonomy as India's economic and geopolitical influence in the area is growing. It will benefit both parties if their bilateral partnership and collaboration gets stronger. Vietnam is strategically significant because of its impact on the South China Sea, sometimes referred to as the "Pacific's true Mediterranean." To enhance collaboration, India and Vietnam have developed a number of bilateral structures at various levels.

Bilateral commerce between India and Vietnam has progressively grown from a meagre US$200 million in 2000. For the fiscal year 2021–2022, Indian data show that India and Vietnam's bilateral trade climbed by 27% to reach US$14.14 billion. Vietnamese imports rose by 21% to $7.44 billion, while Indian exports to Vietnam surged by 34% to $6.70 billion. Vietnam was India's fourth-largest ASEAN commercial partner in the fiscal year 2021–2022 and the 23rd-largest trading partner overall, behind Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Including investments made through other nations, India's investments in Vietnam are estimated to be worth roughly US$1.9 billion. According to the Foreign Investment Agency of Vietnam, India ranked 25th among the nations and territories investing in Vietnam, with 313 legitimate projects and a total invested capital of US$ 910.4 million as of December 2021. Major areas of Indian investment in Vietnam include energy, mineral exploration, agro-processing, sugar, tea, and coffee production, agrochemicals, information technology, and auto parts. Vietnam has six investment projects of a combined US$28.55 million in India as of 2021, mostly in the fields of construction materials, chemicals, information technology, and medicines.

DEFENCE AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

Through the Strategic Partnership formed in 2007 that was advanced to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) level in September 2016, the trajectory of defence cooperation between India and Vietnam has continued to expand. India and Vietnam's defence and security cooperation has emerged as a crucial element of the CSP, with both sides stressing the need to strengthen already-existing areas of cooperation. The first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation between India and Vietnam was signed in 1994, marking the beginning of their defence cooperation. The two countries then agreed to jointly conduct military drills, anti-piracy activities in the South China Sea, and anti-insurgency training in a formal defence protocol that was signed in March 2000.

A Joint Declaration was made in 2003, obligating the two countries to hold regular high-ranking meetings and promising to further their military and security cooperation. There has been development in the bilateral defence cooperation since the creation of the Strategic Partnership and the CSP, including exchanges of high-level visits, with the first India-Vietnam Security Dialogue taking place in July 2018. During Minister Singh's visit to Vietnam on June 8, 2022, the "Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030" was signed by the two countries. During the visit, an MoU on Mutual Logistics Support was also signed. The MoU was the first of its kind that Vietnam had signed with another nation. This would facilitate the process of obtaining logistical support and equipment between the two countries.

The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation members, established to foster and deepen connections between India and Southeast Asian countries, include Vietnam and India. Vietnam has been a vocal advocate for India's efforts to join the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and to get a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. India and Vietnam pledged to create an "Arc of Advantage and Prosperity" throughout Southeast Asia in a joint proclamation released in 2003. Vietnam has made significant contributions to the negotiations for an Indo-ASEAN free trade agreement as well as the rising significance of India's relations with ASEAN. India and Vietnam have also established strategic partnerships, which include considerable cooperation on nuclear power development, bolstering regional security, and prioritising the fight against terrorism, transnational crime, and drug trafficking.

THE CHINA ANGLE

Vietnam continues to be one of Southeast Asia's loudest critics of China's unilateral moves in the South China Sea. The Paracel and Spratly Islands are included under China's self-declared maritime border, or the "nine-dash line," according to international law. The SCS territorial and marine border disputes with China involve Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, four nations in Southeast Asia. Some of the Spratly Islands are claimed by Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei, while Brunei asserts control of the Louisa Reef Centre. The Paracel and Spratly Islands are the subject of the SCS conflict between China and Vietnam. As a signatory to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Vietnam continues to place a strong focus on upholding stability in the SCS and abiding by international law.

Vietnam also acknowledges that the current geo-economic, geopolitical, and geo-strategic pressures are severely threatening the peace and stability of the area. The region's continuous traditional and non-traditional issues have been further affected and amplified by the great power competition in the area. In line with its rapidly expanding economy and in reaction to perceived threats, notably those from China, Vietnam is boosting its military spending, particularly on its navy. The highest growth in military spending has been witnessed in Vietnam, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Regarding the political and security aspects, the SCS problem is one of Vietnam's largest foreign policy issues. Vietnam's multilateralist foreign policy has also evolved. As a result, it is becoming more practical and diverse. Vietnam aims to improve relations with other important nations, including Japan, South Korea, and Russia, in addition to promoting its connections with India. Vietnam gives strategic partnerships or comprehensive partnerships with other nations top priority in defence cooperation.

CONCLUSION

Due to the efforts of multiple generations of leaders from both nations, India and Vietnam's multifaceted connections, which date back to ancient times, have improved as of today.In the years following the Cold War, India and Vietnam were able to expand their bilateral defence cooperation thanks to the new security climate that encouraged India's expanding participation with ASEAN. It is accurate to say that as the two countries' strategic alliance deepened, defence cooperation became a key area of collaboration. In the new cooperative environment, there is a need to further enhance the bilateral relationships. The two countries' joint history and strategic viewpoint will endure, notwithstanding the shift. This relationship, which is built on shared values, is growing in light of the new security threats facing the world in the twenty-first century.

The Indo-Pacific area is physically centred on India and Vietnam. Both nations would significantly impact this strategic area, which is becoming a key arena for rivalry for influence and strength among the great powers. The breadth and scope of the bilateral defence cooperation have greatly increased as a result of the Joint Vision Statement on Defence Partnership that was signed in 2022. Vietnam is a crucial supporter of India's Act East policy and a crucial ally in its Indo-Pacific strategy. Along with continuing to work together on regional and international problems of mutual concern, the India-Vietnam defence alliance is also looking into new projects.

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 Pic Courtsey- Ammie Ngo at unsplash.com

(The views expressed are those of the author and do not represent views of CESCUBE.)