HANOI, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam and India have agreed to negotiate to sign an agreement on their defense cooperation, local newspaper Vietnam News reported Tuesday.

    During the meeting between Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen TanDung and visiting Indian Defense Minister Shri AK Antony here Monday, the two sides also discussed issues on fostering the bilateral cooperation on navies and air defense forces, and training.

    The move is seen as an initial step to the implementation of agreements on strategic partnerships signed during Dung's recent visit to India.

    The Vietnamese prime minister highly appreciated the increasingly positive development in the two country's bilateral relations and multi-faceted cooperation.