Indian PM Modi begins visit to VN
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins an official two-day visit to Vietnam today at the invitation of Vietnam ’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
His visit is the first official visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Vietnam in 15 years.
“The visit will help further strengthen and expand our traditionally close and friendly ties marked by deep trust and mutual understanding,” Parvathaneni Harish, Indian Ambassador to Vietnam , said in a press conference prior to the visit.
During his stay, Modi will hold talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister NguyễnXuânPhúc and visit Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Tran Dai Quang, and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.
The Indian Prime Minister will also visit Quan Su Pagoda in Hanoi at the invitation of the Vietnam ’s Buddhist Sangha. Buddism, which came to Vietnam from India about 2,000 years ago, has played an important role in links between the two countries, the Indian Ambassador said.
Vietnam ’s Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh also said Modi’s visit holds significant importance to bilateral ties.
Thanh said Vietnam and India have shared a long-standing relationship from trade and religious exchanges and benefited from the personal relationship between late President Ho Chi Minh and Indian PM Jawaharlan Nehru.
The two nations have supported each other during their respective struggles for national liberation as well as socio-economic development, he said.
He said that the strategic partnership has seen robust development in the past decade, with political trust reinforced by regular visits of senior leaders, including the visits to India by former President Truong Tan Sang in 2011, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in 2013 and former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in 2014, and the visit to Vietnam by Indian President Pranab Mukharjee in 2014.
Bilateral co-operation mechanisms, including the Vietnam – India Joint Commission, the political consultation and strategic dialogue between the two foreign ministries, and defence dialogues, have proved efficient in boosting ties between the two countries, he said.
Thanh expressed his belief in the bright prospects for the Vietnam -India strategic partnership, based on a strong foundation as well as similarities in strategic interests, political trust and high economic potential.
VNS
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