New Delhi,
India and Vietnam today signed three agreements, including in trade, agriculture and towards cooperation for peaceful use of civil nuclear energy.

President Tran Dai Quang, who started his state visit to India with a tour of the holy Buddhist site of Bodh Gaya, was accorded a ceremonial welcome today at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Later, maritime security, including in South China Sea where Vietnam has disputes with an aggressive Beijing, defence, oil and energy were key areas of focus at formal delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“We have decided that we will enhance cooperation in defence production and explore opportunities in transfer of technology. We will jointly work for an open, independent and prosperous Indo-Pacific area where sovereignty and dialogue mechanism to resolve disputes is respected,” said Modi, advocating an international rules-based order.

The Vietnam President welcomed opening of direct air services between Ho Chi Minh and New Delhi as well as Indian firms exploring oil and gas blocks on its continental shelves. Modi informed India was also looking at trilateral arrangements with other countries towards exploration drives. While bilateral trade has increased from six to 10 billion USD in last five years, Vietnam’s target is USD 15 billion by 2020.