They met with the General Secretaries of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), Prakat Karat, and the Communist Party of India (CPI), A. B. Bardhan, as well as the leader of the Indian National Congress.

During their meetings, the Indian officials expressed their admiration for President Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnamese people’s victories under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. They said they hoped the strong ties between the CPI-M, CPI, the Indian National Congress and the CPV will continue to grow.

The leader of the INC praised the traditional ties between Vietnam and India, which were established by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Vietnam’s first President Ho Chi Minh.

The two sides exchanged news and information about each country’s socio-economic situation as well as issues of religion and ethnic minorities.

Mr Trong said that the Party and State always respect and ensure the right of citizens to freedom of belief and religion, which were institutionalized by the Vietnam National Assembly’s legislation to unite religious believers and non-religious citizens.

He said that Vietnam has 54 ethnic groups who have long been united during the nation’s history of construction and defence, which has laid a solid basis for a unified and sustainable multi-ethnic nation. This tradition is being built on strongly under the leadership of the CPV, he stressed.