Illustrative image (Source: asean.org) The Special ASEAN - India ForeignMinisters’ Meeting (SAIFMM) is scheduled to take place in New Delhi on June 16 and 17 as part of activities marking 30 years of dialogue relations between the two sides.
Highlighting the sound connectionsbetween India and 10 ASEAN countries, Chau said ASEAN has dialoguerelations with many countries, and India is a very important partner.
According to the diplomat, bilateralties have been growing in all aspects. First, economic and trade links havebeen increasing fast, which can been seen in Vietnam’s trade with India surgingto almost 13 billion USD at present from about 200 million USD in 2000.
The second is on security andpolitics with both sharing many similar viewpoints on international andregional issues, especially the East Sea issue and the Indo-Pacific vision, hesaid, elaborating that India supports ASEAN’s centrality, both sides attachgreat importance to law respect and law adherence, and they also wish to builda region of peace, stability, and development, as well as a free, open, andinternational law-based Indo-Pacific region.
Third, most of the ASEANcountries and India advocate peace and justice when it comes to internationalissues. Fourth, they have been cooperating closely in science - technology andeducation.
The fifth is connectivitycooperation, especially in air and road transport, he noted, expressed his hopefor a road from New Delhi through northeastern India, Myanmar, Thailand, andLaos to Hanoi in the future.
The last but not least is people-to-people exchange. The number of ASEAN and Indian visitors to each other’s destinations hasbeen on the rise while Indian people living in Southeast Asia are alsoincreasing, which reflects the close-knit ties between the two sides, he added.
NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (centre) in a visit to India in December 2021 (Photo: VNA) The two countries share manysimilar viewpoints on international issues and have showed those viewpointswhen both were non-permanent members of the UN Security Council in 2021.
With such a stature and anopen foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and diversification andmultilateralisation of foreign relations, Vietnam has been playing a highlyactive role in helping strengthen ASEAN - India relations, Chau stressed.
The ambassador described 2022as a special year since Vietnam and India will celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties, ASEAN and India mark 30 years of their dialoguerelations, and India mark its 75th Independence Day.
He underlined the thriving Vietnam- India partnerships in defence, politics, trade, investment, tourism, and people-to-peopleexchange, affirming that 2022 is a very positive year in multiple aspects forboth Vietnam - India and ASEAN - India ties./.
VNA
