Parrikar meets Vietnamese Defence Minister; discusses possible sale of BRAHMOS

NEW DELHI (PTI): Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday held bilateral talks with his Vietnamese counterpart General Ngo Xuan Lich, where the two discussed key military issues including possible sale of supersonic missile BRAHMOS to the Southeast Asian country.

The contentious South China Sea was also believed to have been discussed by the two Defence ministers.

Parrikar, who arrived in Hanoi city on Sunday, also placed wreath at Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum. He is on a two-day visit to Vietnam, official sources said.

The visit assumes significance amid the raging South China Sea issue in the region.

India had on Saturday called for a regional framework for security management to peacefully resolve disputes, threat and use of force in the Indo-Pacific region, amid China flexing its muscles in the area to advance its maritime claims against its Asian neighbours.

"Regional framework for security management must enshrine a commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes, the threat or use of force," Parrikar had said in his address at the 15th Shangri-La Dialogue.

Last year, India and Vietnam had decided to enhance their bilateral defence cooperation and signed a joint vision statement for five years.

Vietnam, which is building a naval deterrent to China with Russian-made Kilo-class submarines, is keen on India training its submarine personnel. It also has expressed interest to acquire the BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missile system, a deal for which India is open to.

Vietnam may become the first country to be supplied the 290 km-range BRAHMOS weapon system, a joint venture of India and Russia.