New Delhi🃏 (VNA) – The Vietnam-Uttar Pradesh tourism workshop and the Vietnam-India silk and apparel trade seminar took place on the second day of the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Expo 2024 in Uttar Pradesh state, northern India on September 26.

Officials and business representatives from both sides pledged to bolster their partnership via facilitating market entry for agricultural goods, processed food, apparel, footwear and services. Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Thanh Hai underlined Vietnam's focus on Uttar Pradesh, citing its dynamic economy, numerous Buddhist pilgrimage sites, and vast investment potential in food processing, apparel, renewable energy, infrastructure, civil aviation, MSMEs, and information technology. Highlighting Vietnam's tourism strengths, Hai showcased its stunning natural landscapes, spiritual and cultural sanctuaries, and rich cuisine. He noted the growing popularity of Indian restaurants in Vietnam and proposed increasing direct flight frequencies and streamlining visa procedures to facilitate travel between the two countries. Currently, e-visas are available for all Indian citizens, valid for three months with multiple entries. Vietnam has also suggested exploring more visa options through bilateral discussions. Uttar Pradesh Minister of MSME Rakesh Sachan extended an invitation to investors, particularly those in the tourism and hospitality sector, to explore opportunities in the state, which has emerged as a prominent spiritual destination in India. At the silk and apparel trade seminar co-hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency, the Vietnamese Embassy in India’s Trade Office and the Indian Silk Export Promotion Council, Chief Representative of the agency's Central and Central Highlands Regional Office Bui Xuan Lich urged Vietnamese and Indian firms to enhance technology transfer, collaborate within production chains, and engage in professional trade promotion activities. A representative of the Vietnam Sericulture Association expressed the country's interest in partnering with India to produce quality dual-system silkworm eggs, invest in weaving, dyeing, printing, and apparel manufacturing, and establish chain-linked models in silk production. This marks the association's first trade promotion activity in India, a country that accounts for 90% of Vietnam's silk export revenue. The discussions underscored how Vietnam and India could leverage each other's strategic locations to serve as gateways to South Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), respectively./.