New Delhi: Ministry of External Affairs, Secretary (East), Jaideep Mazumdar on Tuesday emphasised that defence collaboration between India and Vietnam is a very important pillar, adding that both countries' leaders recognize that industry collaboration is a priority.

Jaideep Mazumdar, Ashish Kumar Sinha, Joint Secretary (South) and Randhir Jaiswal, MEA Spokesperson held a special briefing on Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to India, on Thursday.

"Defence collaboration, as I have said, is a very important pillar and both leaders recognize that industry collaboration is a priority. Indeed, defence industry cooperation has emerged as a very significant area," Mazumdar said.

The MEA Secretary further noted that India and Vietnam signed an implementation arrangement for defence industry cooperation.

"We have signed an implementation arrangement for defence industry cooperation which establishes a framework for such cooperation. Then we also have an overarching approach to defence supplies for Vietnam, guided by their specific requirements...," he said.

Moreover, he highlighted that technology transfers in defence prooduction was also discussed by the Vietnamese PM.

"Technology transfers in defence production was also one of the areas identified by the vietnamese side as an area of their interest," Mazumdar added.

Pham Minh Chinh, who is on a three-day State visit to India, was accorded a ceremonial reception at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

PM Modi received his Vietnam counterpart at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The two leaders shared a warm hug as they greeted each other.

Earlier today, PM Modi and his Vietnam counterpart, Pham Minh Chinh at Hyderabad House here in the national capital, jointly inaugurated the Army Software Park at the Tele-Communications University in Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Various delegates from both sides signed several Memorandums of Understanding, aimed at strengthening the bilateral ties between both countries.

Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh while speaking at Hyderabad House on Thursday praised India's outlook in today's world and its strategy during COVID-19.

Pham Minh Chinh said that security challenges in the Asia Indo-Pacific region are fierce and to tackle this, the world needs international solidarity.

(With Inputs From Agencies)