Vietnam, India strengthen comprehensive strategic partnership

• Top legislator meets with Indian President
• Party, State leader hails first visit by Indian President
• Party General Secretary and President chairs welcome ceremony for Indian President

Both sides hailed the effective defence cooperation between the two countries, describing it as a key pillar in the bilateral ties, and lauded the implementation of the US$100 million credit package to support Vietnam’s border forces in building high-speed patrol boats.

Vietnam, India strengthen comprehensive strategic partnership.

They consented to maintain the frequent exchange of visits and meetings at all levels, as well as people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, and effectively carry out existing cooperation mechanisms and look for new measures to promote bilateral relations. 

They underlined the need to give priority to boosting economic cooperation in the time ahead, towards reaching the set bilateral trade target of US$15 billion.

The leaders asked concerned ministries and sectors to hold dialogues to explore possibilities of opening up their markets, especially for goods of their strength.

PM Phuc thanked Indian leaders, especially Prime Minister Modi, for their goodwill and willingness to discuss solutions to ease trade protection, thereby protecting the interests of Vietnamese enterprises. 

He was appreciative of India's investment in fields of its strengths and meeting Vietnam’s demand such as energy, renewable energy, and high-tech agriculture.

Both sides concurred to advance cooperation between the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation of India and the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam), especially in terms of stepping up the search and exploration of oil. They also agreed to actively realize the memorandum of understanding on cooperation in oil and gas exploration projects in third countries.

Host and guest underlined the necessity for stronger collaboration in the areas of information technology, science-technology, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchange.

They also underlined the need to enhance connectivity and offer the best possible conditions for Vietjet to soon operate direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City to New Delhi.

They were unanimous in closer coordination and mutual support at regional and international forums, especially within the United Nations.

With regard to the East Sea issue, the two leaders agreed upon the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, and freedom of navigation and aviation in the sea, and peacefully settling disputes in line with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1982 (UNCLOS) and soon reaching an effective and binding Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.