What happened: 7th High-Level Meeting in Chennai and joint exercise plan
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) held the 7th High-Level Meeting (HLM) in Chennai on 25 August 2026. The meeting was conducted under the 2015 Memorandum of Understanding on Coast Guard Cooperation and focused on operational areas where cooperation can be tested and improved.
The HLM was co-chaired by Director General Paramesh Sivamani, Director General, Indian Coast Guard, and Major General Luong Dinh Hung, Vice Commandant, Vietnam Coast Guard.
The meeting discussions covered strengthening bilateral cooperation in these key areas:
Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) — cooperation for locating and responding to vessels or persons in distress at sea.Maritime Law Enforcement — coordination to support enforcement activities at sea.Marine Pollution Response — joint readiness to respond to pollution incidents in the marine environment.Capacity building — training and skills development to improve operational effectiveness.
The ICG and VCG also reviewed ongoing bilateral engagements such as professional exchanges and ship visits. Both sides reaffirmed commitment to enhancing cooperation and interoperability using regular institutional interaction, training programmes, professional exchanges, sharing of best practices, and ship visits.
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