Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (L) meets with Indian Minister of State for External Affairs V.K Singh (Source: VNA)

At the meeting, the two officials highly evaluated the close Vietnam-India traditional friendship as well as the new development in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries in the recent time, especially the regular exchange of high-level visits. Mr. Minh expressed delights at the upcoming visit to Vietnam later this month by Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj to co-chair the 16^th Joint Committee meeting in 2018.

Mr. Singh thanked Vietnam, as the coordinator of ASEAN-India relations in 2015-2018, for promoting the effective and practical cooperation between the two sides, thus to deepening the ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership. He affirmed that India supports the maintenance of peace, stability and security as well as safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law.