VietNamNet Bridge – India on November 23 began training 500 Vietnamese sailors under a defence initiative between the two countries.

The Times of India reported that Vietnamese naval staff are practicing at the Indian Navy's submarine school INS Satavahana in Visakhapatnam, equipped with advanced training aid and simulators.

The paper quoted a senior official of the Indian Ministry of National Defence as saying Defence Minister A. K. Antony has promised extensive assistance to Vietnam for capacity-building of its armed forces.

He said New Delhi will continue to assist Hanoi to modernize its defence and security forces, including a US$100 million credit for defence purchases.”

During talks between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on November 13, the two sides agreed to consolidate defence ties into a key pillar of the bilateral strategic partnership.

They praised the regular organization of dialogue on national defence, training courses, rehearsals, and exchange visits of naval ships, as well as the maritime policing of both countries.

They also welcomed the signing of an Agreement on Mutual Protection concerning the exchange of confidential information and a Memorandum of Understanding being deployed on training the Vietnamese naval and air force officers.

Source: VOV