Vietnam and India to foster Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: diplomat

Arya told Vietnamese media agencies on July 30 that Vietnam and India have treasured their long-standing relationship for decades founded and cultivated by President Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and their successors.

Since the establishment of their diplomatic ties in 1972, the two countries have gradually upgraded their relationship to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership at present. They have coordinated closely and supported each other at international forums such as the United Nations and other multilateral forums.

Economic cooperation is a major pillar in bilateral relations, with two-way trade turnover reaching nearly US$15 billion last year. People-to-people exchanges, cultural, security and defense cooperation has also reaped great results.

Arya said the Vietnamese PM’s visit takes place eight years after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Vietnam in 2016. The two countries have since arranged many high-level visits and discussions on a variety of fields.

This visit will be an important opportunity for the two sides to review the achievements they have recorded in all fields such as politics, security, defense, trade and economic cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges, especially since the two countries established their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2016, said the ambassador.

For Vietnam and India, according to the diplomat, economic growth, national development and prosperity are given important priorities, by promoting trade and investment cooperation, as well as business exchanges. Another priority, he said, is the development of technology in industries such as telecommunications, digital technology energy transition, and military.

India and Vietnam need to promote cooperation in potential and strong fields such as technology, telecommunications, renewable energy, and energy transition, which will be high on the agenda of talks and meetings between Indian leaders and the Vietnamese PM during his visit, said Arya.

In his view, both Vietnam and India share stance on international issues. They both believe that multilateralism and reform of multilateralism are extremely important, serving as the foundation for the two countries to cooperate effectively, develop together, as well as to express their role and voice in the region and the world.

Sustainable development, energy transition, climate change response, and the handling of conflicts and political issues from a global perspective are of great concerns of India, Vietnam and other developing countries.

The similarity in stance affirms the two countries’ desires to cooperate more closely towards benefits for themselves, as well as for the region and the world, as seen in existing effective cooperation mechanisms such as ASEAN and the Mekong - Ganga Cooperation, stressed the ambassador.