Vietnam always considers India a trustworthy, close and faithful friend and attaches importance to the strategic partnership with the country.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made the affirmation at a meeting with Indian Speaker of the Lower House Meira Kumar in New Delhi on November 21.

The Party chief briefed his host of outcomes of the talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during which the two leaders reached a consensus on major orientations and measures to expand and deepen the strategic partnership on the five pillars of politics; economics, trade, investment; national defence and security; education; and science-technology.

Speaking highly of cooperation between the two legislative bodies over the past time, he said the Vietnam National Assembly gives importance to the relationship and learning experience from other legislatures, including the Indian Parliament, as it is on the way to overhaul its operations.

He described the linkage between the two legislative bodies as an important factor in the Vietnam-India relationship, pledging favourable conditions for their all-around cooperation.

The Party leader thanked the Indian Parliament for supporting Vietnam’s hosting of the 32 nd General Assembly of the IPU which will take place in 2015.

Host and guest agreed on the need for the two bodies to enhance the sharing of experience in law making and coordinate with each other to supervise the implementation of agreements reached by the two countries while accelerating exchanges between parliamentarians.

They suggested the two legislatures sign a cooperative agreement and tighten their coordination at multilateral parliamentary forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP) and the ASEAN People’s Forum (APF).

For her part, Meira Kumar said Party General Secretary Trong’s visit to India mirrors the close ties between the two countries.

She expressed her belief that the visit will reap success, creating a milestone and impulse to promote the Vietnam-India strategic partnership, thus meeting the interests and aspirations of the two peoples.

The host congratulated Vietnam on its remarkable achievements in the renewal process and put stress on the traditional friendship between the two countries.

India always treasures ties with Vietnam and considers the country a pillar of its “Look East” policy, she said, adding that her country wants to step up the relationship with Vietnam and then the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

She noted with pleasure the closer cooperation between the two legislative bodies, expressing her delight with Vietnam’s participation in her country’s training programmes.

The Indian Parliament backs every effort to invigorate the five pillars in the two countries’ strategic partnership, especially national defence and security, trade and investment, she said.

Meira Kumar also voiced her hope to boost bilateral cooperation in education and training as well as tourism and culture.

She extended her belief that with agreements reached by the two countries, their links in politics, national defence and security, economics, trade and investment will strongly develop in the coming time.

The same day, Party General Secretary Trong and his entourage visited the Indian Parliament Museum in New Delhi.-VNA