hold an annual Security Dialogue at the Defence Secretary Level and a Joint Committee on Science and Technology that meets periodically. India and Vietnam are both members of the Mekong–Ganga Cooperation, created to develop and enhance close ties between India and nations of Southeast Asia. Vietnam has supported India's bid to become a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and join the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). In the 2003 joint declaration, India and Vietnam envisaged creating an "Arc of Advantage and Prosperity" in Southeast Asia; to this end, Vietnam has backed increasing the significance of the relationship between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its negotiation of an Indo-ASEAN free trade agreement. India and Vietnam have also built strategic partnerships, including extensive cooperation on developing nuclear power, enhancing regional security and fighting terrorism, transnational crime and drug trafficking. Defence cooperation In January 2000, the Indian Defence Minister, George Fernandes, called for a renewed political relationship with Vietnam, describing Vietnam as India's most trusted friend and ally. He proposed that India should develop a naval presence in the South China Sea through access to the Cam Ranh Bay naval and air base and that India should provide training and advanced weapons to Vietnam. Vietnam has welcomed Indian Navy ships in their region which would enhance India and Vietnam military relations. Vietnam has also welcomed Indian support for a peaceful resolution of the territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid has called Vietnam one of the pillars of India's "Look East" policy. In 2018, India and Vietnam are scheduled to conduct their first bilateral naval exercise together, in Vietnamese waters. The Indian Navy provided training to over 550 Vietnamese Navy submariners to operate Kilo-class submarines at its INS Satavahana submarine training base. Vietnam acquired its first Kilo-class submarine from Russia in January 2014, and India had experience operating the class since the mid-1980s. In December 2016, India agreed train to Vietnamese pilots to fly Sukhoi aircraft. India provided a $100 million line of credit to Vietnam on 15 September 2014, that allows Vietnam to buy defence equipment from India. The deal will equip the Vietnam Border Guard with 12 offshore patrol vessels from Larsen & Toubro (L&T). Five ships will be built at L&T's shipyard in Chennai, while the other 7 will be built at Hai Phong under L&T's supervision. During his