A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan left Hanoi on March 25, beginning a week-long official visit to India.

Mr Nhan is accompanied by senior officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Science and Technology, Information and Communications, Agriculture and Rural Development, and National Defence, as well as directors of major research and training institutions.  

This is the first India visit by a Vietnamese leader in the Vietnam-India Friendship Year 2012.

The visit aims to concretise high-level agreements reached during the India visits by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in July 2007, and State President Truong Tan Sang in October 2011.

It is expected to increase bilateral cooperation in the areas of politics, security, national defence, culture, science-technology, and education-training, so as to lift the Vietnam-India strategic partnership to a new level. 

Vietnam and India will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties and the 5th anniversary of the strategic partnership in 2012.

VNA