Vietnam’s naval officers attend int’l maritime seminar in India

Hanoi (VNA) – A delegation of the Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN) on February 27 attended an international maritime seminar that was part of the multilateral naval exercise MILAN 2022 in India, the Quan doi Nhan dan (People’s Army) daily reported.

The event was attended ambassadors and naval representatives of the 39 countries participating in MILAN 2022. Vietnamese Ambassador to India Pham Sanh Chau and the VPN delegation led by Colonel Nguyen Van Ngan, Deputy Chief of the Staff of Naval Region 4, took part in the workshop.

In his opening remarks, Chief of the Indian Navy Admiral Hari Kumar said the delegates’ presence at the event was a chance for the navies to exchange viewpoints on issues on common concern, discuss response measures to the emerging challenges, especially those in the Indo-Pacific, promote cooperation, and enhance mutual understanding, thereby helping strengthen trust.

No countries can singlehandedly deal with the increasing issues and challenges related to navigation security and safety such as terrorism, piracy, weapon smuggling, and marine pollution. Given this, it is necessary to boost coordination and cooperation among navies for the sake of stability, development, and cooperation, he noted.

During the two-day seminar with four panel discussions, speakers shared viewpoints about several issues, including the changes in sea-related competition and disputes, capacity building towards common navigation security, surmounting non-traditional maritime challenges through cooperation, and maritime transparency.

They also talked about the competition and the likelihood of conflict in the Indo-Pacific, stressing the need for stronger cooperation for common interests, especially the importance of respecting international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

They held that navies should reinforce ties since their countries have many shared interests at sea and also face common challenges relevant to navigation security and safety.

The Vietnamese delegation’s presence at MILAN 2022 demonstrated the country’s sense of responsibility as an active member who is ready to cooperate with others for common interests as well as for maritime stability, safety, and security in the region and the world at large, according to Quan doi Nhan dan./.