Vietnam, India hold security dialogue in New Delhi

The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) was led by Vikram Misri, deputy national security adviser and Ministry of Public Security, while the Vietnamese delegation was led by Senior Lieutenant General Luong Tam Quang, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Public Security.

During the course of the meeting both sides held frank discussions on a number of issues of shared concern.
Misri reiterated Prime Minister Modi’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) which focuses on a collaborative effort aimed at better managing, conserving, sustaining, and securing the maritime domain, particularly as it shares strong convergence with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.

The Indian Minister also reiterated India’s firm stance for the freedom of navigation and overflight, as well as unimpeded lawful commerce in national waters in accordance with international laws, including UNCLOS, along with respect for sovereignty and the territorial integrity of nations.

Both sides used the platform to consent to collaborate and co-operate on counter- terrorism activities, agreeing to co-ordinate efforts to combat the nexus of radicalisation, terrorism, and the production and trafficking of illegal narcotics and arms within the region, according to persons familiar with the meeting.

India also offered to continue to assist the country with capacity building programmes, including providing training to the Ministry of Public Security officials as they undertake peace keeping missions launched by the UN.

India will therefore be guided by the requirements of the Vietnamese side on such capacity building programmes, whilst they also offered to share their expertise and domain knowledge in the field of cyber security.

As two maritime countries, India and Vietnam have an abiding interest in ensuring peace and security in shared maritime space. The sharing of best practices to combat piracy and illegal fishing was also discussed, with the two sides concurring to actively compare notes on areas such as the blue economy, sustainable oceans, and marine connectivity.

This comes after an MoU for Cooperation signed between the NSCS and the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security was agreed in 2016 to establish an institutional mechanism between the NSCS and the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security.

The inaugural dialogue was held in April, 2018, in Hanoi.