New Delhi: India on Friday reaffirmed Vietnam's importance as a key partner in India's Act East policy, while highlighting the diversification of bilateral relations across various areas, including political exchanges, defence partnership, trade and investment relations, energy security, development cooperation, cultural cooperation and people-to-people relations.
Secretary (East) Jaideep Mazumdar received a delegation led by Dr Huynh Thanh Lap, Chairman of the Vietnam-India Friendship Association, Ho Chi Minh City, on April 10. The delegation was on a familiarisation visit to India from April 7 to 11 and also had interactions with India Foundation, the MEA said on Friday.
In the meeting, the Secretary (East) underscored the significant growth in the relationship between India and Vietnam, particularly since the elevation of ties to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He reiterated Vietnam's importance as a key partner in India's Act East Policy and also highlighted the diversification of bilateral relations across various areas, including political exchanges, defence partnership, trade and investment relations, energy security, development cooperation, cultural cooperation and people-to-people relations. He further lauded Vietnam for its impressive strides in the economic sector and its remarkable progress as both an export and investment hub.
Dr Huynh Thanh Lap expressed gratitude for the warm reception. He acknowledged the significant efforts undertaken to advance bilateral relations between the two nations. He commended India's achievements in defence, scientific research and information technology fields.
Special emphasis was laid on the growing resonance of Indian culture, particularly, yoga within Vietnamese society. Dr Lap also noted the growing people-to-people ties as a result of increased connectivity through direct flights between India and Vietnam. The Secretary (East) and Chairman Vietnam-India Friendship Association reiterated the commitment of the leaders of both countries to further advance the bilateral cooperation.
The strategic cooperation between India and Vietnam was critical towards building the vision laid out under India’s ‘Act East’ Policy. Strengthening ties with Vietnam will eventually lead a step towards the realisation of the SAGAR (Security and Growth All in the Region) initiative as hailed by the Prime Minister. As the Chair of G20, India looks forward to intensifying and expanding its global, regional and domestic initiatives to bring peace and prosperity at regional and global levels apart from protecting its national interests.
According to the MEA, Bilateral relations between the two countries were elevated to the level of ‘Strategic Partnership’ during the visit of Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to India in July 2007. In 2016, during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Vietnam, bilateral relations were further elevated to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”.
The current development of India-Vietnam relations is guided by a “Joint Vision for Peace, Prosperity and People” adopted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the then Prime Minister. Nguyen Xuan Phuc during the Virtual Summit held on December 21, 2020. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong had a telephone conversation on April 15, 2022. In 2022-23, the two countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, which also coincides with the 75th anniversary of India’s independence “Aazadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”.
Read more: Why Defence Is A Key Component Of India-Vietnam Ties
