Vietnam-India relations – 50 years of clear skies and diplomatic ties
A European Union website has documented the 50-year history of the Vietnam-India relationship in a new article, saying it is “as clear as a cloudless sky” as remarked by late Prime Minister Pham Van Dong more than four decades ago.
The late PM’s statement has stood the test of time, given that now the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, according to moderndiplomacy.eu.
“There is a constant reiteration of Vietnam’s role in India’s Act East Policy and its Indo-Pacific Vision which is cemented by bilateral relations in all fields including but not limited to economy, trade, defence and tourism,” it said.
From “Bilateral Relations” to “Strategic Partnership” to now a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”, the two countries have always shared close diplomatic ties which is a result of their shared experience of national struggles for independence. Despite having different political systems, there has been numerous high-level diplomatic visits and India has time and again played a key role in supporting Vietnam’s independence and unification or committing to providing assistance in advancing Vietnam’s defence in the present decade.
"Vietnam is a vital and strategic partner for India, and as commented by Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau, India has become one of Vietnam’s top three partners as a comprehensive strategic partner along with Russia and China, but India-Vietnam diplomatic relations are stronger," the article stressed.
India’s Indo-Pacific Vision is positive and inclusive of nations and beyond who have a stake in it. ASEAN centrality and unity is an important element of the vision. Vietnam yet again plays a key role in the region and in India’s vision, especially with respect to the area of East Sea.
It highlighted economic and trade cooperation as a very important part of India-Vietnam relations, noting that India is the most important market for Vietnam, accounting for 80% of Vietnam’s total trade with South Asian nations. India’s Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla mentioned the desire to increase bilateral trade to reach US$15 billion from the previous US$13.2 billion, while admiring the growth of Vietnam in a variety of economic sectors.
Currently the two countries are implementing the 2021-2023 Action Programme that aims to implement all the agreements and discussions that took place in official meetings.
It reiterated that “the relationship is a longstanding one with deep understanding of each other’s needs and a mutual sense of respect. With a pending invite for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and policies that expand years, the sky continues to be as clear as it was in 1980”.
