Huynh Thanh Lap, President of the Vietnam-India Friendship Association of Ho Chi Minh City addresses the event (Source: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – A get-together was held in Ho Chi Minh City on August 14 to celebrate the 72nd Independence Day of India, showing the friendship and solidarity between the people of Ho Chi Minh City and India.
Addressing the event, Huynh Thanh Lap, President of the Vietnam-India Friendship Association (VIFA) of Ho Chi Minh City said that the date of August 15, 1947 marked the birth of the independent state of India, opening up the way for developing India into a prosperous and modern country with big influence and most dynamic development in the region and the world.
Lap said that amidst the sound relationship between Vietnam and India, the VIFA and the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) carried out various activities in the Vietnam-India Friendship Year 2017, along with diplomatic and cultural exchange activities, thus contributing to foster the solidarity and friendship between the people of the city and India.
For his part, Srikar Reddy, Indian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, affirmed that the India-Vietnam relationship, nurtured and developed by generations of Indian and Vietnamese leaders, have flourished on the foundation of mutual trust and understanding as well as similarity in viewpoints on various regional and international issues.
He noted that the India-Vietnam partnership has seen positive progress in all fields such as politics, trade, investment, tourism, culture and education, thereby benefiting the people of both countries.
On this occasion, Reddy expressed hope to continue receiving cooperation and support from HUFO and VIFA in implementing cooperation activities in the coming time, including a ceremony commemorating the 150th birthday of Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi, as well as in popularising Yoga, and organising exchanges among students of universities of Ho Chi Minh City and India and among businesses of the two nations.
Currently, India ranks 27th among 126 countries and territories investing in Vietnam with nearly 200 projects worth about 875 million USD. Last year, two-way trade reached 7.63 billion USD and the figure is expected to hit 15 billion USD in 2020.-VNA
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