Vietnam, India hold eighth strategic dialogue (Lead, correcting para two)

The eighth round of Vietnam-India strategic national defence dialogue was convened in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh city Friday.

The meeting was co-chaired by Vietnam's Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh and Indian Defence Secretary R.K. Mathur.

Addressing the meeting, Nguyen said that Vietnam and India shared strategic benefits and challenges so as to secure national security, Xinhua reported citing state-run Vietnam News Agency.

The eighth strategic defence dialogue will strengthen defence cooperation, peace and friendship between the two countries. It will benefit both the sides, Nguyen said.

The dialogues have so far contributed positively to developing bilateral defence cooperation, said Mathur. Vietnam and India shared many similarities and face common challenges, he added.

Participants at the dialogue exchanged viewpoints on regional and international issues and discussed and agreed upon measures to enhance bilateral cooperation and development in national defence.

The Indian side shared with the Vietnamese delegation information on regional security and defence as well as its concern about issues relating to the South China Sea and Asia, with the focus on solutions to settle the issues through peaceful means.

Leaders of Vietnamese and Indian defence ministries discussed measures to further promote cooperation vis-a-vis high-level visits between the two defence ministries, personnel training, maritime cooperation, expansion in air force cooperation and promotion of defence industrial development.