India, Vietnam strengthen defence ties amid shared concerns over China’s assertiveness

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc have called for a peaceful, “open and rules-based” Indo-Pacific while also proposing to enhance their defence and security partnership – statements made with an eye on China’s growing dominance in the region.

The summit was the culmination of a series of high-level exchanges between the two sides this year, including a visit by Vietnam’s vice-president to India, a telephone conversation between the two prime ministers in April to discuss the Covid-19 situation, and another online meeting in November during the India-Asean Summit. Vietnam is the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

India and Vietnam already have a comprehensive strategic partnership in place but the new vision statement following the summit emphasises “peace, prosperity and people” to guide their relationship with a plan of action for 2021-2023.

The two prime ministers stressed maintaining “peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation and overflight” in the South China Sea. They also discussed the peaceful resolution of disputed claims in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) – an international agreement established to define coastal and maritime boundaries and regulate seabed exploration not within territorial claims.