PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc welcomed the Indian Foreign Minister's visit to Vietnam and expressed his sympathy over huge losses caused by heavy rains and floods in many Indian states in recent times. The PM also extended condolences over the death of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The Vietnamese government leader hailed the outcome of the earlier meeting between Swaraj and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

He suggested the Indian FM help to maintain the political trust between the two countries and step up Vietnam-India cooperation across a variety of areas, principally defence and security – a pillar of bilateral relations, economics, and trade. He said he hopes will examine ways to reduce trade barriers to facilitate Indian investment in Vietnam in power, renewable energy, and oil and gas exploitation.

Phuc told his host that both sides boast huge potential for broadening cooperation in science-technology, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchange, however, there should be appropriate cooperation mechanisms.

He asked both sides to closely coordinate and offer mutual support at regional and international forums and, at the same time, voiced his support for India’s “Act East” policy. 

Vietnam hopes India will support ASEAN’s centrality in regional architecture and has a more active voice in the maintenance of security, safety, freedom of navigation, aviation and trade, including the settlement of disputes through peaceful measures on the basis of international law, Phuc said.

Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, in turn, said she is greatly impressed with Vietnam’s socio-economic development over recent years and glad to see the two nations’ comprehensive strategic partnership growing, thus delivering practical benefit to their peoples.

She said her nation wishes to further boost all-around cooperation with Vietnam across economics, trade, investment, science-technology, security-defence, and people-to-people exchange, thereby contributing to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and beyond.

Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj is on a visit to Vietnam for the 16th Meeting of the Vietnam-India Joint Committee on Economic, Commercial, Scientific, and Technological Cooperation.

Source: vov.vn