A Bilateral meeting is scheduled to be held between the Ministry of Communications, and the Ministry of Information and Communications of Vietnam today, (17th December, 2021) in New Delhi to strengthen collaboration in the Telecommunications and Postal Sector. The Indian side will be headed by Minister of State for Communications, Devusinh Chauhan while the Vietnamese delegation will be led by Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Information and Communications, Vietnam.
Ministers from India and Vietnam will sign a “Letter of Intent” for expanded collaboration in the postal sector, as part of comprehensive strategic and economic partnership and expanding relations.
India –Vietnam Relations:
India-Vietnam relationship has been exceptionally friendly and cordial. The historical ties and cordial relations may be traced back to the joint struggle for freedom from foreign rule as well as the national war for independence. After Vietnam’s triumph over the French at Dien Bien Phu in 1954, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was one of the first visitors to the country. In February 1958, President Ho Chi Minh visited India. In 1959, President Rajendra Prasad also paid a visit to Vietnam.
Political ties have improved in recent years, as seen by multiple high-level visits by officials from both sides. Trade and economic ties are strengthening. The ‘Look East’ policy of India, combined with Vietnam’s increased engagement in the area, has paid rich dividends. In Southeast Asia, Vietnam is a key regional partner. India and Vietnam work closely together in a number of regional forums, including ASEAN, the East Asia Summit, the Mekong Ganga Cooperation, and the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM), as well as the United Nations and at the World Trade Organization.
Economic and Commercial Relations:
Growing economic and commercial involvement characterizes India’s relations with Vietnam. India is now one of Vietnam’s top ten trading partners. The two sides decided to make economic cooperation a major push in the India-Vietnam Strategic Partnership during former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to India in October 2014. Following that, at the Joint Sub-second Committee’s meeting on January 20, 2015, five important sectors were designated as thrust areas: garment and textile, pharmaceuticals, agro-commodities, leather and footwear, and engineering.
PM’s Visit to Vietnam:
Following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Vietnam in 2016, both countries agreed to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” plan of action, in which India reaffirmed its commitment in assisting Vietnam in developing its defence capabilities as well as providing the country with a new line of credit.
