Hiroshima, Japan: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held wide-ranging talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh during which they discussed opportunities in areas like trade and investment, defence and energy and agreed to deepen bilateral strategic ties.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the summit of the Group of Seven (G7) advanced economies in Hiroshima.

“Propelling – ties to new levels. Wide-ranging talks between PM @narendramodi and PM Pham Minh Chinh of Vietnam,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) tweeted.

The two leaders noted the steady progress achieved in the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They agreed to enhance high-level exchanges and deepen bilateral trade and investment ties, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

They also discussed opportunities in the fields of defence, building resilient supply chains, energy, science and technology, human resource development, culture & people-to-people ties, it said.

The leaders had a positive exchange of views on regional developments. They also discussed ASEAN and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

ASEAN nations include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The US, India and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China’s rising military manoeuvring in the resource-rich region.

China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. China also has territorial disputes with Japan in the East China Sea.

Prime Minister Modi briefed Prime Minister Chinh about India’s G20 Presidency and the primacy given by India to highlight the perspectives and concerns of the Global South.

PM Modi arrived in Hiroshima on Friday to attend three sessions at the G7 summit following an invitation by Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida.

PTI