Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Indian Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar. (Photo: VNA) The PM congratulated India on its achievements ineconomy, national defence and science-technology, among other fields, andhighlighted the time-honoured friendship between the two countries.
He lauded outcomes of the 18th meeting of theVietnam-India Joint Committee for Economic, Trade, Science and TechnologyCooperation, co-chaired by Jaishankar and his Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son earlierthe same day, and asked the two foreign ministries to maintain bilateralcooperation mechanisms and promote people-to-people exchanges.
Jaishankar praised Vietnam’s achievements insocio-economic development and foreign relations, affirming that Indiaconsiders Vietnam an important partner in the region in implementing its “Act East Policy”, and wants to constantly enhance the bilateral comprehensivestrategic partnership.
He conveyed regards from PM Narendra Modi to PM Chinh,and expressed his hope to welcome the Vietnamese Government leader to India inthe time ahead.
Regarding specific cooperation areas, Chinh spokehighly of collaboration in national defence-security, and suggested India continueits support to Vietnam in officer training, and boost cooperation incybersecurity.
Emphasising the complementary strengths of the twoeconomies, the PM urged relevant ministries and agencies of both sides to workharder in order to increase two-way trade turnover, towards the target of 20billion USD as set at the 18th meeting of the joint committee.
The two sides should further facilitate door openingfor each other's products, limit trade barriers, consider negotiating andsigning cooperation documents to create a favourable corridor for trade andinvestment activities, and promote connection between the two economies interms of goods, services, interbank payment and digital payment, he continued.
Chinh called on India to encourage its big groups toinvest in Vietnam in such areas as infrastructure, seaports, logistics, oil andgas exploration and exploitation, and renewable energy.
The PM appreciated and recommended that Indiacontinue its support to Vietnam in education-training and culture, especiallyproviding scholarships and restoring cultural relic sites, and expressed hishope that India will create favourable conditions for Vietnamese airlines toopen more direct flights to its big cities.
He also suggested two sides expand cooperation in new sphereslike digital transformation, climate change response, energy transition andgreen growth.
For his part, Jaishankar pledgedthat he will coordinate closely with the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairsto materialise the results of the above-said meeting, contributing to deepeningthe bilateral relationship, particularly in national defence-security, economy,trade, investment, and science-technology.
He also suggested the two sides push ahead with proceduresfor recognising each other's agricultural products.
For regional and international issues of sharedconcern, the Indian FM emphasised that in the face of increasingly complex andunpredictable developments of the international and regional situation, Indiaalways attaches importance to cooperation with Vietnam in particular and theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in general.
India is always ready to engage more strongly with theregion, contributing to maintaining peace and stability, and promotingcooperation and development in the region, he affirmed.
The minister reiterated India’s stance onsupporting ASEAN’s centrality and basic principles in solving regionalproblems, including the East Sea issue./.
VNA
