Influenced by China’s neighbourly presence, the two countries signed 12 pacts, including a $500 million defence line for credit, to deepen bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors.
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India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) reviews the guard of honour with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc during a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam September 3, 2016. During his meeting with Vietnamese Premier Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Hanoi, he expressed serious concern over Beijing’s assertiveness in the South China Sea and surrounding waters, saying that India would work together with all the countries in south-east Asia to ensure regional peace.
The Prime Minister also said that the Asean region was “important to India in terms of historical links, geographical proximity cultural ties and the strategic space that we share”.
“The “Strategic Partnership” established in 2007 has been instrumental in cementing our security and defence relations and is today comprehensive in its reach, depth and engagement”.
The Indian head of government announced a line of credit worth $500 million which is aimed at creating favorable conditions for military ties between the two nations.
G20 member-states, viz. Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the U.S. and the European Union, represent 85% of the world’s GDP.
Vietnam, which has a ruthless understanding of self interest, did not hesitate to confront with “powerful” China to protect its interest in the past.
Noting that enhancing bilateral commercial engagement is the strategic objective of the two nations, he said, “For this, new trade and business opportunities will be tapped to achieve the trade target of Dollars 15 billion by 2020”. He also appealed the grouping to “isolate and sanction supporters of terrorism”. “For us a terrorist is a terrorist”, Modi said.
The leaders also discussed enhancing counter terrorism cooperation. “New Delhi and Hanoi both wish to raise their bargaining position while having interactions with China, but neither of them wants direct confrontation with Beijing”, it said.
This week Modi also gave a red carpet welcome to the President of Myanmar Htin Kyaw in New Delhi.
India, however, remains one of the strong advocates and early adopters of these norms as it looks to plug revenues arising from tax evasion and avoidance and keep the electoral promise made by the National Democratic Alliance of brining back black money stashed in foreign bank accounts.
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May, 59, is UK’s second woman Prime Minister after Margaret Thatcher, also known as Iron Lady, with whom May is often compared.
