Festival boosts Vietnam-India friendship

Can Tho (VNA) – A festival was held in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho to tighten friendship between Vietnamese and Indian people.

The event, the eighth of its kind, was co-organised by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations and the Vietnam-India People Friendship Festival.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Van Tam said the two countries’ relations have been developed and expanded across the fields since they established diplomatic ties in 1972, particularly in agriculture, science-technology, education and human resources training.

Both nations always support each other at regional and international forums, he said, noting that two-way trade have increased continuously through years and is expected to hit 5 billion USD in 2016 and 15 billion USD by 2020.

Tam added that his city will step up cooperation with India in agriculture, information technology, and human resources training through scientific research programmes between the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute, Can Tho University, and Indian research centres.

Meanwhile, Vice President of the All India Peace and Solidarity Organisation Lakshminarayanan Kannan said the festival creates an opportunity for India to introduce its multi-coloured culture and art to local residents and vice versa, thus strengthening the friendship, solidarity and mutual understanding between the two peoples.

Vietnamese and Indian artists devoted the audience with special traditional dances from the respective countries.-VNA