Vietnam attaches special importance to developing cooperation with India , considering it one of the priorities in the country’s foreign policy.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made the affirmation while receiving Minister of State for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs E. Ahamed, in Hanoi on January 6.

Ahamed is on a working visit to Vietnam on the occasion of the 40 th anniversary of Vietnam-India diplomatic ties and five years since establishment of strategic partnership between the two countries.

PM Dung stressed that Vietnam will do its utmost, together with India , to deepen the two countries’ strategic partnership.

He expressed his wish that the two sides will speed up the implementation of cooperative programmes, especially in economic trade and investment.

The Government leader affirmed that Vietnam supports India ’s “Look East” policy and is willing to serve as a bridge for India to strengthen and expand cooperation with other ASEAN countries.

Ahamed affirmed that India wants to develop comprehensive relations with Vietnam . He asked the Vietnamese Government to create favourable conditions for Indian firms to do long-term business in the country.

He suggested the two sides increase the exchange of delegations at all levels in order to strengthen the friendship, cooperation, mutual trust and understanding between the two peoples./.