Vietnam, India further step up all-around cooperation

President Tran Dai Quang met with his Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi on March 3 evening, as part of his three-day State visit to India.

President Kovind highlighted the visit by President Quang and his delegation as a contribution to strengthening the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations.

He thanked President Kovind, his wife and the Indian people for their warm welcome and invited Kovin and his first lady to visit Vietnam at a convenient time.

Vietnam and India have enjoyed a time-honoured traditional relationship with historic and cultural similarities, whose foundation was laid by late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and late President Ho Chi Minh and has been nurtured by generations of leaders and people of both countries.

President Quang asked both nations to increase education among their younger generations about the bilateral relationship, enabling them to preserve and uphold the fine tradition.

The two State leaders also expressed their delight at the flourishing bilateral relations, especially in of politics, defence-security, economy-trade, science-technology and culture-education.

President Kovind praised Vietnam’s important role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and thanked Vietnam for the efforts in its capacity as a coordinator of the ASEAN-India Dialogue Partnership for 2015-2018 which delivered practical results to the relationship. He affirmed that India supports ASEAN’s centrality in the regional architectures.

Both sides agreed to continue offering mutual support at regional and international forums. President Kovind reaffirmed that India backs Vietnam’s bid to run for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council in the 2020-2021 term and thanked Vietnam for its commitment to supporting India’s candidacy for the post in the 2021-2022 term.

President Kovind affirmed that his nation always treasures the principles of ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation, complying withinternational law, settling disputes through peaceful measures on the basis of international law, not using or threatening to use force, and respecting legitimate interests of medium and small nations in order to maintain peace and stability in the region.

The Indian President highly appreciated the organisation of “Vietnamese Cultural Days in India” on the occasion of President Quang’s visit and thanked Vietnam for its favourable conditions for the organisation of the International Yoga Day in Vietnam.

On the evening of March 3, President Ram Nath Kovind hosted a banquet in honour of President Tran Dai Quang and his delegation.