Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh in New Delhi.
After the talks, both leaders virtually inaugurated Army Software Park at Telecommunications University in Nha Trang, Vietnam. It is collaboration project between India and Vietnam. India has provided grant assistance of five million dollars for the project.
Both sides also signed and exchanged MoUs for cooperation in customs capacity building, agriculture research and education, maritime heritage, medicinal plant and also in legal fields.
Prasar Bharati and Voice of Vietnam exchanged MoU for cooperation in Radio and Television. Both sides also exchanged MoUs on credit line agreement and restoration of Myson UNSECO world heritage site in Vietnam.
In his press statements, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, India-Vietnam relations have expanded and deepened and in the last 10 years, the relations have been given a shape of comprehensive strategic partnership.
He said, the bilateral trade has witnessed a rise of 85 per cent. The Prime Minister said, Buddhism is our shared heritage, which has connected the people of both countries at a spiritual level.
He invited people from Vietnam to the Buddhist circuit in India.
Mr Modi said, India wants that the youth of Vietnam should also take advantage of Nalanda University. He said, in the Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific vision, Vietnam is India’s important partner.
The Prime Minister said, India-Vietnam cooperation for a free, open, rules-based and prosperous Indo-Pacific will continue.
He said, in the discussions today, both extensively discussed all areas of mutual cooperation and took several steps to prepare a roadmap for the future.
Mr Modi said, due to India’s ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ vision and Vietnam’s 2045 vision, development has gained momentum in both countries.
He said, this is opening up many new areas of mutual cooperation and therefore, today both sides made a new Plan of Action to further strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The Prime Minister said, new steps have been taken for cooperation in the field of defence and security. He said, the agreement reached on a credit line of 300 million dollars will strengthen Vietnam’s maritime security.
Mr Modi said, both sides also decided that cooperation will be emphasized on the subject of terrorism and cyber security.
He said, India and Vietnam agreed that the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement should be reviewed and concluded at an early date to realise the mutual trade potential.
The visiting dignitary was accorded a ceremonial reception at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi today morning. Mr Modi received him at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Vietnam Prime Minister also paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.
Prime Minister Chinh is also scheduled to call on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar today.
Mr Chinh arrived in New Delhi on a three-day state visit to India on Tuesday. He is accompanied by a high level delegation including several Ministers, Deputy Ministers and business leaders.
India and Vietnam have age-old historical and civilizational ties, which were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the visit of Prime Minister to Vietnam in September 2016.
India considers Vietnam as a key pillar of its Act East Policy and an important partner in its Indo-Pacific vision.
