VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam has made boosting friendly relations with India a top priority, said Party General Secretary and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong.

Party General Secretary and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong receives the Indian Lok Sabha (House of the People), led by speaker Meira Kumar. (Photo: VNS)

Trong hailed the speaker's visit, which he said would boost Vietnamese-Indian relations.

At the meeting, he agreed with Kumar about the need to further strengthen relations on politics, the economy, culture and education and training.

On relations between the countries' two national assemblies, he suggested both sides sign co-operation agreements and increase the number of official exchange visits.

Trong spoke of India's importance in the region and affirmed Viet Nam's increasing support.

Trong said he was pleased with how relations between the Communist Party of Viet Nam and India's political parties had developed.

Kumar said India always attached great importance to developing relations with ASEAN, and particularly Viet Nam.

She thanked the Vietnamese Government for its support on regional and international forums.

However, she said there was room for further development of Viet Nam-India relations.

Last year bilateral trade turnover reached US$2.7 billion.

She said the two countries needed to create favourable conditions for business.

Kumar pointed out that Viet Nam and India had firm relations with regard to national defence, culture and education.

She added that the two countries should establish foreign language training centres. She also said she hoped the two countries co-operated more fully on IT and that she would like to see an Indian cultural centre open in Viet Nam.

Kumar said India planned to offer more educational scholarships to Vietnamese students.

She also suggested that Viet Nam open direct flights to India, which she said would boost relations, economic co-operation, investment and tourism in the two countries.

Later Kumar held a press conference in which she discussed economic development in Viet Nam.

She said Viet Nam was an important pillar in India's "Look East" policy.

In response to a reporter's question on strategic relations between India and Viet Nam, the speaker said Lok Sabha was committed to strengthening relations with Viet Nam.

President Nguyen Minh Triet later met Kumar. He said Viet Nam wanted to strengthen and expand friendly relations and co-operation with its Asian partner.

The President emphasised that Vietnamese-Indian relations were long-standing and firm.

He called on India to help build peace and prosperity in the region and the world in general.

Kumar meanwhile said she highly valued Viet Nam's important role in ASEAN and Asia. She expressed admiration for Viet Nam's achievements in socio-economic development, poverty alleviation and education.

Meeting with PM

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said he was glad to see how Vietnamese and Indian relations had grown over the years, during a meeting with Indian House Speaker Meira Kumar.

Dung said Viet Nam wished to work closely with India to bring relations to a new height.

He said the Speaker's visit marked an important landmark in diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and India.

Viet Nam is always looking to strengthen relations in various fields with India, the Prime Minister said.

He said the country had always supported India's bid to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. It said India also had an important role to play as a bridge with ASEAN.

He said the two sides needed to boost co-operation on trade and investment. He also said there should be direct air flights between the two countries.

The Prime Minister said he would like the Indian Government to grant more scholarships to Vietnamese students, as well as additional official development assistance.

Meanwhile, Kumar said India wished to boost relations and co-operation with Viet Nam.

She said that since the two countries had raised their relations to a strategic level there had been greater co-operation in science and technology, culture, society, foreign affairs, national defence and security.

The two sides had also effectively co-ordinated in international forums, the speaker said.

Kumar also met chairperson of the HCM City People's Council Pham Phuong Thao yesterday, May 16.

Welcoming the speaker in HCM City, Thao said she believed Kumar's visit would contribute to strengthening and deepening traditional friendly relations and co-operation between Viet Nam and India.

She said Kumar's visit would also contribute to boosting relations between the two countries' national assemblies and co-operation programmes, exchanges and training of legislative officials.

Kumar said co-operation between HCM City with Kolkata and other Indian provinces would go from strength to strength.

During her four-day visit to Viet Nam, which ends today, Kumar will also meet representatives of the Indian Business Association and Indian expats in HCM City.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News