Many important results have been reached at the 15th meeting of the Vietnam–India Joint Commission, said Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh in a recent interview with the Vietnam News Agency.

At the meeting, which took place in India on July 11, India affirmed that it will continue to treasure political ties and maintain the traditional friendly relationship between the two countries, FM Minh said.

The two sides pledged to regularly exchange delegations of all levels, further bring into play the role of the joint commission and strengthen the political consultation and strategic dialogue mechanism.

The two sides have put forward orientations and concrete measures, aimed to make bilateral economic cooperation ties more practical and efficient, Minh said, adding that an action programme for the 2013-2015 period was also inked.

A joint sub-committee on trade has been established with the purpose of raising two-way trade to 7 billion USD by 2015.

India pledged to consider providing more preferential credit for Vietnam and encourage its businesses to invest in the Southeast Asian country, especially in the fields of oil and gas exploitation, energy, high-technology, biotechnology and agriculture.

The two countries held that defence cooperation, experience exchanges and officer training will be expanded.

They also discussed in-depth measures to boost cooperation in education and training, agriculture, science and technology, information and telecommunications, cultural exchanges, aviation and tourism.

At the same time, the two sides vowed to continue their coordination at international and regional forums.

Minister Minh stated that Vietnam welcomes India’s “Look East” policy and hopes to become a bridge connecting India with regional countries, especially ASEAN nations.

Vietnam also welcomes and encourages Indian businesses to invest in sectors Vietnam needs, such as infrastructure development, high-tech zones, oil and gas, and electricity.

He noted that India boasts an advance education and a rapid development of science-technology, and Vietnam hopes to receive assistance from India in these fields on its path to industrialisation and modernization. These sectors will also be the key pillars in the two countries’ strategic partnership and a focus of Vietnam-India cooperation in the years to come, said FM Minh.

In view of such outcomes, it is completely possible to believe in the bright future of the traditional friendship and strategic partnership between the two countries, he stressed.-VNA