NEW DELHI: India and Vietnam have decided to further expand and deepen their defence cooperation, including in important emerging areas like cybersecurity and real-time exchange of information, even as they inked a MoU on submarine search and rescue collaboration.The Defence Policy Dialogue, co-chaired by defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Vietnam’s deputy minister of national defence Senior Lt-General Hoang Xuan Chien at Hanoi on Monday, also reviewed the ongoing progress made in the areas like hydrography cooperation, capacity building and training, increased port calls and warship visits, and cooperation in niche domains like AI and shipyard upgradation.The two sides also signed a “Letter of Intent” on strengthening defence-industry cooperation to promote transfer of technology, prioritise high-tech and core-technology domains, joint cooperation in research, joint ventures, procurement of equipment and materials for defence production as well as exchange of experts, design, and production of equipment.“Bilateral defence cooperation is an important pillar of India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Vietnam holds a key position in India’s Act East Policy and is an important partner in India’s Indo-Pacific vision,” an official said.