Indian President Ram Nath Kovind delivers a speech at the plenary session of the 14th National Assembly’s 6th meeting (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam holds important position in India’s Act East policy, and the Southeast Asian country is among the nations that India has special friendship with, said visiting Indian President Ram Nath Kovind.
He made the statement when delivering a speech at the plenary session of the 14th National Assembly’s 6th meeting on the morning of November 20.
Ram Nath Kovind said that visits are vivid illustration of the sound relations between the two countries, citing the one by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016 when both sides inked a historic agreement to upgrade their ties to comprehensive strategic partnership.
He said that his visit to Vietnam at the invitation of President Nguyen Phu Trong is the very first to the country and the first to Asia since he took office in 2017.
Regarding all-round cooperation, he said that the two countries have enjoyed strong bonds in economy, politics and people-to-people exchanges.
He described Vietnam and India as vibrant economies, saying that two-way trade reached 12.8 billion USD in 2017. India is among ten largest trade partners of Vietnam while Vietnam and ASEAN have crucial roles in India’s trade balance.
Both nations have huge potential to cooperate and supplement each other in garment and textiles, agriculture and agricultural technologies, bio-tech and IT, energy and pharmaceuticals, infrastructure and mining, he said, underlining that Indian investors and service suppliers are eager to join the Vietnamese market.
The two countries continued committing to bilateral cooperation at space security and multilateral forums.
The Indian leader also expressed his hope that tourism collaboration will be further fortified, and both sides should work to increase the number of direct flights to connect the two nations.
National efforts of the two countries have been made for the prosperity in each nation, thus, promoting business relations and firm connection has played an important role in the progress, he highlighted.
The socio-economy has undergone substantial changes, and advanced technologies have changed lifestyles in both nations. India owns the largest startup ecosystem in the world, and is preparing to send an astronaut into space. The country stands ready to share experience with Vietnam in the fields of Vietnam’s interest and priority.
Vietnam and India shared their views on the settlement of disputes via peaceful means, respecting legal and diplomatic processes and in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS).
On behalf of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA), NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan thanks the Indian President for his speech, which highlighted the sound relations between the two countries.
She took the occasion to congratulate India on becoming the 6th largest economy in the world.
The Vietnam-India comprehensive strategic partnership has been developed in a sound manner, with political trust being tightened via regular high-level and people-to-people exchanges.
She said that the Vietnamese NA will do its utmost and join hands with the Parliament of India to consolidate the friendship for mutual benefits of the two peoples as well as for regional and global peace, prosperity, cooperation, and development.-VNA
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