Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam holds important position in India’s Act East policy,and the Southeast Asian country is among the nations that India has special friendshipwith, said visiting Indian President Ram Nath Kovind.

He made the statement when delivering a speech at the plenary session of the 14th National Assembly’s 6th meeting on the morning of November 20.

Ram Nath Kovind said that visits are vivid illustration of the sound relationsbetween the two countries, citing the one by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in2016 when both sides inked a historic agreement to upgrade their ties tocomprehensive strategic partnership.

He said that his visit to Vietnam at the invitation of President Nguyen PhuTrong is the very first to the country and the first to Asia since he tookoffice in 2017.

Regarding all-round cooperation, he said that the two countries have enjoyedstrong bonds in economy, politics and people-to-people exchanges.
 
Hedescribed Vietnam and India as vibrant economies, saying that two-way tradereached 12.8 billion USD in 2017. India is among ten largest trade partners ofVietnam while Vietnam and ASEAN have crucial roles in India’s trade balance.

Both nations have huge potential to cooperate and supplement each other ingarment and textiles, agriculture and agricultural technologies, bio-tech andIT, energy and pharmaceuticals, infrastructure and mining, he said, underliningthat Indian investors and service suppliers are eager to join the Vietnamesemarket.

The two countries continued committing to bilateral cooperation at spacesecurity and multilateral forums.

The Indian leader also expressed his hope that tourismcollaboration will be further fortified, and both sides should work to increasethe number of direct flights to connect the two nations.

National efforts of the two countries have been made forthe prosperity in each nation, thus, promoting business relations and firmconnection has played an important role in the progress, he highlighted.

The socio-economy has undergone substantial changes, and advanced technologieshave changed lifestyles in both nations. India owns the largest startupecosystem in the world, and is preparing to send an astronaut into space. Thecountry stands ready to share experience with Vietnam in the fields ofVietnam’s interest and priority.

Vietnam and India shared their views on the settlement of disputes via peacefulmeans, respecting legal and diplomatic processes and in accordance withinternational law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law ofthe Sea (1982 UNCLOS).

On behalf of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA), NAChairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan thanks the Indian President for his speech, whichhighlighted the sound relations between the two countries.

She took the occasion to congratulate India on becoming the 6th largest economy in the world.


The Vietnam-India comprehensive strategicpartnership has been developed in a sound manner, with political trust beingtightened via regular high-level and people-to-people exchanges.

She said that the Vietnamese NA will do its utmost and join hands with theParliament of India to consolidate the friendship for mutual benefits of thetwo peoples as well as for regional and global peace, prosperity, cooperation,and development.-VNA