In addition to elevating two-way trade to US$15 billion right in 2022, both nations should step up cooperation in such areas as culture, people-to-people exchange, science-technology, energy, and education-training in a more effective and substantial manner, they emphasized.
They also agreed to work hand in hand to remove obstacles facing investment cooperation projects towards more sustainable and healthy trade relations.
The two diplomats rejoiced over the progress of the Vietnam-India ties, even during COVID-19 period.
Son thanked India for providing helpful support to Vietnam in the COVID-19 fight and asked for coordination from India to prepare for upcoming high-level visits. He invited FM Jaishankar to visit Vietnam and co-chair the 18th meeting of the Vietnam-India Joint Committee on economic, trade, science-technology cooperation in Hanoi in the second half of 2022.
The Vietnamese FM suggested that India offer favourable conditions for Vietnamese farm produce, including rambutan, longan and durian to enter the Indian market, while encouraging Indian firms to invest in Vietnam in areas of Indian strength and Vietnamese demand such as innovation, high technology, IT, and pharmaceuticals.
In response, Jaishankar congratulated Vietnam on overcoming COVID-19 to boost economic recovery and become a bright spot in the region in investment attraction and tourism.
He agreed with the Vietnamese FM’s proposals, and pledged to coordinate with Vietnam to launch a range of activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations.
India regards Vietnam as an important pillar of its “Act East” policy, vowing to work to further promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries in the future, thus meeting the demands and interests of both sides.
The pair also compared notes on a number of regional and international issues of shared concern. They concurred to go ahead with their close coordination and mutual support at international and regional forums, especially the UN and within the ASEAN-India cooperation framework.
They highlighted the significance of maintaining security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight at seas and oceans in line with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Following the meeting, the ministers witnessed the exchange of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in cybersecurity between the Vietnam Cybersecurity Emergency Response Teams/Coordination Centre under the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Cybersecurity Emergency Response Teams/Coordination Centre under India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
At an earlier meeting with a delegation from the India-Vietnam Solidarity Committee in West Belgan State led by its President Kusum Jain, Son affirmed that Vietnam always treasures sentiments of generations of Indian friends towards Vietnam.
He said he hopes Jain and the committee will continue to help connect Vietnamese and Indian people, contributing to reinforcing the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries in the three key pillars of politics, economy and culture.
Kusum Jain affirmed that the committee will continue to make greater contributions to the people-to-people exchange between the two countries.
The same day, the two FMs co-chaired a ceremony in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-India diplomatic relations at the Vietnamese Embassy in New Delhi, which featured the participation of roughly 200 Indian guests.
Addressing the ceremony, the Vietnamese diplomat hailed the important achievements of the Vietnam-India ties over the past five decades, reaffirming that the two nations have always offered mutual support during the past struggles for independence as well as the current national construction and development.
He expressed his confidence that with the high determination of both nations’ leaders, and support from their people, the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership will continue to grow and flourish for the interests of people of the two counties and for peace, stability, cooperation and prosperity in the region and the world.
At the ceremony, the logo of the Vietnam-India 50-year-ties was announced, along with the screening of a documentary film on the history of bilateral relations
FM Son who was in India for the Special ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (SAIFMM) and the 12th Delhi Dialogue.
