As part of efforts to shore upties with Vietnam, Vice President Hamid Ansari will leavetomorrow for Hanoi on a four-day state visit during whichbilateral agreements related to trade and mutual cooperationare likely to be signed.
During the visit, Ansari will attend functions to mark thewrapping up of 40th anniversary celebrations of India-Vietnamdiplomatic ties.
Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh, who visitedIndia last week, had participated in the programme held herelast
week to mark the occasion.
The two countries celebrated 2012 as the year of India-Vietnam friendship. Vietnam has spoken out openly againstChinese intervention in South China Sea, an area where Indiaand China had issues a few months back.
While India maintains that it is merely involved ineconomic activities like oil exploration in South China Sea,China feels India is trying to develop a strategic presence inthe area. This issue has brought India and Vietnam closer.
During his visit to India, Ninh had clearly said thattalks on issues related to the sea should be on the six-pointprinciple of ASEAN and the 1982 UNCLOS.
Ninh said his country feels violence should be avoided inthe region. The two countries are also working on increasingcooperation on national defence and security issues.
Defence cooperation between the two nations have been onsince 2007 when relations were elevated to a strategicpartnership.