India and Vietnam signed agreements on Saturday for cooperation in trade, agriculture and nuclear energy. The two countries decided to together work for “an open, independent and prosperous Indo-Pacific area where sovereignty and international law is respected”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after talks with Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang.
Quang is on a three-day visit to India, which ends on Sunday. In a joint statement after meeting him, Modi said that Vietnam has an “important place” in India’s Act East policy and its relations with Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Earlier in the day, Modi and Quang discussed ways to enhance cooperation in defence, tourism and energy, as well as regional and global issues, the Ministry of External Affairs said.
Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj also met the Vietnamese president, and discussed steps to expand cooperation across sectors. On Saturday morning, Quang was given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Quang arrived in India on Friday afternoon and visited the Buddhist pilgrimage of Bodh Gaya in Bihar. He will attend the Vietnam-India Business Forum on Saturday evening.
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