VFF President meets with high-level Indian officials
(VOV) - President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan held meetings with a number of Indian officials on March 20 as part of his on-going official visit to India.
During a reception for Nhan, Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari highlighted the development of the traditional friendship and the strategic partnership between the two nations, especially in politics, economics, trade investment and security-defence.
However, he noted there is still great potential for expanding trade cooperation between the two countries, saying that the two sides should focus on removing barriers to strengthen trade links.
Vietnam and India became important trade partners of each other, with two-way trade hitting US$5.7 billion in 2014, Nhan said, adding that bilateral trade is expected to reach US$7 billion this year.
According to Nhan, the two sides sought opportunities for enlarging economic and trade cooperation through a meeting with Vietnamese and Indian businesses on March 21 in New Delhi.
 |
While briefing the host on the VFF’s function, Vietnam’s recent socio-economic development as well as the country’s role in ASEAN, the VFF leader affirmed that Vietnam is willing to act as a bridge to link India and other ASEAN member states.
In his meeting with Indian Speaker of the Lok Sabha (Lower House) Sumitra Mahajan, Nhan expressed his hope that in her position, Mahajan would continue to enhance the Vietnam-India Strategic Partnership.
He said the two countries’ legislative bodies would boost ties by increasing all-level visit exchanges and sharing experience in law-making as well as exchanges between parliamentarian groups, thus fostering the bilateral relations.
Mahajan spoke highly of the growing relations between Vietnam and India, and their legislatures, while expressing her joy of her upcoming visit to Vietnam to attend the 132nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-132) Assembly.
While meeting with Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, VFF President Nhan asserted that Vietnam always attaches importance to strengthening relations with India, and supports India’s Act East Policy as well as the country’s greater role in the region and the world.
In reply, the Indian minister said that Vietnam is one of his country’s crucial partners, adding that India is willing to back Vietnam’s development cause and continue promoting ties with Vietnam in all fields.