look news india
The strategic partnership between India and Vietnam has entered a new and extremely strong phase amid rising geopolitical tensions in the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific region. India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, who visited Vietnam’s capital Hanoi, held a high-level meeting with the Vietnamese leadership. During this important meeting, Vietnam has made a concrete proposal to share real-time intelligence with India and sign a Classified Information Pact. After this unexpected step, the restlessness of the dragon i.e. China is certain to increase, because this defense agreement between India and Vietnam is going to prove to be very important to control the increasing aggression of the Chinese Navy in the South China Sea.
In this conversation between Ajit Doval and top officials of the security apparatus of Vietnam, the regional security environment, maritime threats and non-traditional security challenges were discussed in detail. Vietnam has urged India to immediately share real-time satellite data and navigation intelligence with each other in the maritime domain. With this, the activities of commercial and military ships passing through the South China Sea can be monitored round the clock. The Vietnamese side has expressed full confidence in India’s state-of-the-art space capability, digital intelligence and naval technology and said that real-time intelligence exchange between the two friendly nations will maintain peace and stability in the entire South-East Asia.
There is a decades-old dispute between Vietnam and China over islands and maritime boundaries in the South China Sea. China has often asserted its monopoly over this entire area and has been threatening Vietnamese oil exploration vessels and fishermen. In such a situation, Vietnam sees India as its most reliable defense ally. India has already moved forward on agreements to supply BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and patrol boats to Vietnam. Now, if there is a formal agreement on sharing of intelligence between the two countries, then the Indian Navy and the Vietnamese Coast Guard together will be able to immediately respond to any misadventure by China on this strategic waterway.
Vietnam is a very important and strong pillar of ‘Act East Policy’ and ‘SAGAR’ vision in India’s foreign policy. NSA Ajit Doval’s visit to Hanoi has made it clear that India is fully prepared to play the role of a responsible and capable security provider in the entire Indo-Pacific region rather than being limited to its borders only. Defense experts believe that if India provides real-time intelligence to Vietnam, it will further strengthen India’s strategic hold on the sea routes stretching from the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea. This will not only put a stop to China’s aggressive expansionist policy, but will also pave the way for free and open navigation in the entire region (Free and Open Indo-Pacific).