Hanoi (VNA) – Three Indian Navy ships – guided-missile destroyer INS Delhi, anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kiltan and fleet tanker INS Shakti docked at Tien Sa Port on July 24, beginning a courtesy visit to the central city of Da Nang.
The visit marks a significant milestone in the enhancement of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and India.
During their stay, the Indian crew visited cultural relics in Da Nang, engaged in sports exchanges and conducted joint exercises with Naval Region 3 of Vietnam, underscoring both countries’ commitment to strengthening all-round cooperation.
At a reception for the visiting delegation, led by Rear Admiral Susheel Menon, Commander of the India Navy’s Eastern Fleet, Major General Nguyen Quoc Huong, Deputy Commander of Military Region 5, emphasised the importance of the visit. He expressed delight at the enduring relationship between the two countries, which established diplomatic ties in 1972 and a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2016.
Over the past years, defence cooperation has been continuously promoted, achieving substantive results and becoming an important pillar in the bilateral relationship. Cooperation activities have been comprehensively and effectively carried out in various areas such as dialogue and consultation, personnel training, defence industry, and United Nations peacekeeping operation.
India’s “Act East” policy and Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and multilateralism and diversification of external relations both underscore the strong political will of their leaders and the aspirations of their peoples, Huong noted.
India – an important partner of Da Nang
In recent years, India has become an important partner of Da Nang not only in defence cooperation but also in tourism, economy, and cultural exchanges.
There is currently a direct flight route between India’s Ahmedabad and Da Nang with a frequency of three flights per week. Indian visitors now account for 7.38% of total international arrivals in Da Nang in the first half of this year.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Ho Ky Minh voiced strong support for the visit and affirmed the city’s readiness to serve as a bridge for strengthening military exchanges and broader bilateral cooperation.
He noted that activities during the visit not only deepened defence ties but also fostered cultural, tourism, and investment links.
Looking to the future
Speaking at the reception hosted by the Military Region 5 High Command, Rear Admiral Susheel Menon expressed his appreciation for the warm hospitality extended by Vietnam.
India and Vietnam share centuries of exchanges, and this visit is an opportunity to further nurture their friendship, he stated.
Rear Admiral Menon emphasised that the prosperity of a nation is inseparable from respect and trust with other countries, and Vietnam has demonstrated this through its flexible foreign policy and successful regional engagement within ASEAN.
The admiral added that joint training, experience sharing, and exchanges between the two navies have been contributing meaningfully to maintaining regional navigation freedom and security.
According to the Rear Admiral, the visit of the Indian Naval ships is an opportunity for the two sides to not only share experiences in military activities, but also enhance cultural exchanges, thereby enriching the relationship between the militaries and peoples of their countries.
He also expressed his hope for continued expansion of bilateral cooperation, especially as the two countries are preparing to mark the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2026./.
