Prime Minister's Visit to India Looks to Strengthen Bilateral Relations

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At 22:40 on July 30, local time (0:10 on July 31, Hanoi time), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the Vietnamese delegation arrived at Palam military airport in New Delhi, starting a State visit to India at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to India aims to affirm Vietnam's consistent policy of attaching importance to the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with India.

President Ho Chi Minh and Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, two leaders who laid the foundation for Vietnam-India relations. Photo: VNA

In an article preceding Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's state visit to India, the Vietnam Government News assessed 'The Vietnam-India friendship is an enduring friendship. The Buddhist connections from the 2nd century AD have been recorded in history, and hundreds of relics across Vietnam spanning over a thousand years connect civilizations, demonstrating the depth of the intersection between the two countries' history and culture. The modern phase of the Vietnam-India relationship is closely associated with President Ho Chi Minh.'

According to the newspaper, during the anti-colonial and anti-imperialist struggles, Vietnam always received active, strong, and substantial support from the Indian government and people. Both countries have always supported each other in international forums.

Since 1991, India has implemented its 'Look East Policy' and later transformed it into the 'Act East Policy', in which ASEAN in general and Vietnam in particular have become important partners for India in the region. In 1992, India and Vietnam established deep economic relations in many areas, including oil and gas exploration, agriculture, and manufacturing. In 1997, India and Vietnam upgraded their trade partnership through the signing of a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPA).

Entering the 21st century, bilateral relations through the channels of the Party, State, National Assembly, and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries have increasingly expanded and deepened.

Yoga performance in Da Nang, June 2024. Photo: DAFO

In the fields of education and culture, India supports Vietnam in training high-quality human resources. India is currently providing 150 short-term scholarships under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program, 30 scholarships under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Cultural Exchange Program and the General Cultural Scholarship Scheme (GCSS). Additionally, India provides Vietnam with several scholarships for Hindi language, and Indian culture training.

India also supports Vietnam with several projects related to information technology and English language teaching, such as the Advanced Resource Center for Information and Communication Technology (ARC-ICT) in Hanoi (operating since September 2011), assisting Vietnam in establishing English centers at Da Nang University (under the ASEAN-India cooperation framework), and the National Defense Academy. Furthermore, India has provided Vietnam with a high-performance computer system installed at Hanoi University of Science and Technology.

Information on India-Vietnam relations on the official website of the Indian Embassy in Vietnam also shows that the friendship between the two countries is deeply maintained by cultural ties and people-to-people exchanges.

In particular, the Buddhist connection between the two countries reflects a civilizational connection dating back millennia. Many Buddhist scholars and pilgrims frequently visit India, including the Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Bodh Gaya.

In April 2023, the Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang, the Supreme Patriarch of the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha, attended the Global Buddhist Summit in New Delhi and was warmly received by the Indian Prime Minister. The Permanent Vice President of the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha's Executive Council, Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, and Venerable Thich Nhat Tu, deputy head of the Vietnam Buddhist Academy, spoke at the International Buddhist Confederation held in New Delhi from November 27-28, 2023.

India welcomed Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh with a vibrant traditional dance. Photo: VGP

Professor Srikanth Kondapalli, a researcher on East Asia at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India, expressed his expectation that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit would bring more agreements related to people-to-people exchanges.

"This is necessary because Vietnam and India are developing countries and there is a great need for exchanges between the people of each country. I think the current leaders should try to strengthen this. Therefore, I think Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit is an important one, where we expect more agreements to be signed," he said.

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