Odishatv Bureau
New Delhi: India and Vietnam will focus on strengthening strategic and economic cooperation during the 14th meeting of the Joint Commission (JCM) to be co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on Friday.

Krishna, along with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Minh, will head the meeting which "will undertake a comprehensive review of Indo-Vietnam Cooperation in the areas of Trade & Investment, Culture, Science, Information Technology, Human Resource Development, Agriculture etc, a MEA release said here.

Significantly, Krishna`s visit comes close on heels of an incident of an Indian Navy vessel reportedly being warned by the Chinese Navy off the coast of Vietnam against entering "Chinese waters" in late July and New Delhi defending freedom of navigation in international waters, including in the South China Sea, and the right of passage in accordance with accepted principles of international law.

"These principles should be respected by all," it has said.

For the JCM, the delegation includes officials from a number of ministries and departments keeping in view India`s multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam.

The minister will also inaugurate the Advance Resource Centre, a centre of excellence in the field of IT Training, set up in Hanoi with Indian assistance, during the visit.

Apart from meeting Vietnamese leaders, Krishna`s programme includes a visit to the Ho Chi Minh City.

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