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Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son gave an interview to the press about the significance and notable results of the visit. The content of the interview is as follows:

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (Photo: VNA)

Could you explain the significance of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's state visit to India?

At the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation paid a state visit to India. This is the first visit by a Vietnamese Prime Minister to India since the two countries established a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2016.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is among the first foreign leaders to visit India following Prime Minister Modi's re-election for a third term.

The two countries are heading towards important milestones, including the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2026 and the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations establishment in 2027. This visit holds significant meaning, creating new momentum and opening a more substantial and extensive new chapter, with many opportunities in Vietnam-India relations.

In two days, Prime Minister Pham Chinh Chinh had an intensive, diverse, and rich agenda with about 25 activities, including meetings, discussions with senior Indian leaders, and Indian corporations, and speeches at the Vietnam-India Business Forum and the Indian Council of World Affairs.

The meetings between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Indian leaders affirmed the close friendship and strong traditional ties between the two countries, and the importance and support they hold for each other in their foreign policies.

Indian leaders expressed deep condolences through the passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, an outstanding leader of the Vietnamese people and a close friend of the Indian people.

During the visit, the leaders of both countries affirmed their commitment to further strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in traditional fields, including defense-security, trade-investment, and culture-education, and to expand cooperation in new areas including green economy, digital economy , and knowledge economy, increasing two-way trade and investment, and deepening scientific and technological cooperation.

The visit also affirmed Vietnam and India 's mutual support, readiness to cooperate, and joint efforts to build peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.

It can be said that the visit of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has acted as a catalyst, which demonstrates the high determination of the leaders of the two countries to take their relationship to a new, stronger, more practical, and more effective stage, with deeper trust and many open opportunities.

Could you highlight the outstanding results of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's state visit to India?

The visit was a great success, achieving the set goals with specific, practical results that met the concerns and expectations of both sides. The two sides released a joint statement on strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, signing nine documents in the fields of diplomacy, national defense, finance, health, culture, tourism, and human resource training, including the Plan of Action for the implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the period of 2024-2028.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a joint press conference on the results of their talks on August 1 afternoon in New Delhi. (Photo: VNA)

During discussions, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Indian leaders agreed to enhance cooperation under the motto of Five more.

First, higher political-strategic trust. The leaders of the two countries emphasize the importance of further increasing delegation exchanges through the Party, Parliament, Government, and local channels, continuing the implementation of the Guest of Honor Program between the two sides, and enhancing the effectiveness of cooperation mechanisms.

Vietnam's announcement to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and its commitment to complete the procedures to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA), two of India's important global initiatives, have contributed to strengthening the trust between the two countries.

Second, deeper defense-security cooperation. This includes the effective implementation of the Joint Statement on India-Vietnam Defense Partnership towards 2030, expanding cooperation in maritime security, cybersecurity, and counter-terrorism. The signing of the implementation of the US $500 million defense credit package is a breakthrough in this visit.

Third, more substantial and effective economic, trade, and investment cooperation. The two sides aim to achieve a bilateral trade turnover of US $20 billion and double two-way investment by 2030. Vietnam proposed that India address trade barriers and promote Vietnamese goods with strengths in the vast and potential Indian market, including electronics, textiles, and agricultural products; and attract Indian corporations to invest in Vietnam in infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, and energy.

On this occasion, enterprises from both countries signed six contracts in aviation, airports, and logistics. Vietjet Air announced a direct flight from Da Nang, Vietnam to Ahmedabad, India, aiming to increase direct flights between the two countries, which currently number 54 flights per week.

Fourth, broader cooperation in science, technology, and innovation. The two countries agreed to promote cooperation in research and development (R&D), innovation in core technologies, semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), nuclear energy, and rare earths, and expand cooperation in petrochemicals and new energy fields, promoting the establishment of joint ventures in IT product manufacturing and cooperation in training IT engineers to meet the development of this industry.

Fifth, closer cultural, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. The two sides agreed to sign a tourism cooperation agreement in the coming time, striving to double the current number of tourists to about 400,000 per year and continue to cooperate in the restoration and preservation of Cham towers in My Son, Quang Nam, and diversify forms of people-to-people exchanges.

With the above results, I believe that Vietnam-India relations have truly entered a new chapter. Based on the outcomes of the visit, agencies, ministries, localities, businesses, and people have more opportunities to strengthen cooperation with India.

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