They are Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy; Air Chief Marshal Birender S. Dhanoa, Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force; and General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army.
At these meetings, General Cuong stressed that Vietnam and India have a long history of traditional ties, which were founded by the two great leaders, President Ho Chi Minh and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
India is a trust-worthy, close and loyal friend of Vietnam and Vietnam is glad to see India’s socio-economic development and its growing position in the region and the world as well. Vietnam’s Party, State, people and army have always remembered and appreciated the supports from India to the country’s national construction and defense cause, he added.
Air Chief Marshal Birender S. Dhanoa presenting a gift to Senior Lieutenant General Luong Cuong
In order to further heighten the bilateral defense relationship, General Cuong suggested the relevant agencies in the Indian armed forces, particularly in Army, Navy and Air Force, should continuously create favorable conditions for both sides to boost their joint activities, such as delegation exchanges at all levels, education and training, meetings for young officers, and experience-sharing on UN peacekeeping operations.
For their parts, the Indian generals reminisced about sound relations and outcomes of Vietnam-India defense cooperation over the past time, especially during visits to Vietnam by Admiral Sunil Lanba and General Birender S. Dhanoa in October and November 2017, respectively.
They all emphasized that India is willing to help the Vietnam’s People Army in fields that New Delhi has strength, asked both sides to continue to boost defense cooperation, placed the importance of the implementation of their signed agreements, and proposed their cooperation in some new sectors for the sake of each side.
* On the same day, General Cuong led the Vietnamese military high-ranking delegation to visit the Indian National Defense Academy.
Addressing the meeting, General Cuong expressed his delight at the results of cooperation between the Indian National Defense Academy and its Vietnamese counterpart.
Vietnam welcomes delegations of the Indian National Defense Academy to have working visits to Vietnam. Their tours will help them learn more about Vietnam’s country, people and army, making contribution to deepening the relations between both armies and peoples of Vietnam and India, he said.
Moreover, the Vietnamese general thanked the Indian National Defense Academy for offering scholarships to Vietnamese senior military officers.
For his part, Lieutenant General Y. Mohan, Director of the academy briefed Vietnamese delegates on the school’s history of foundation and development and its education and training achievements over the past years, adding that the academy is always willing to receive more students from Vietnam and hopes to further expand relations with the Vietnamese National Defense Academy.
Translated by Van Hieu