Vietnam - India Relations Developed Rapidly In the Past 50 Years

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations establishment between Vietnam and India (January 7, 1972 - January 7, 2022), a VNA reporter in New Delhi interviewed the Vietnamese Ambassador to India Pham Sanh Chau on the potential and future of the cooperation relationship between the two countries.

Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau. Photo: VNA

- Could you please evaluate the relationship between Vietnam and India since the two countries established diplomatic relations?

Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau: In the past 50 years of diplomatic relations establishment, bilateral relations have made remarkable progress in all fields. India has become one of Vietnam’s top three partners as a comprehensive strategic partner.

If we look at two other partners, Russia and China, that are also on the list of Vietnam’s comprehensive strategic partners, it can be seen that our diplomatic relations with these two countries are longer. But, Vietnam and India's people-to-people diplomatic relations are longer.

This proves that India is the country with the strongest developed diplomatic relations with Vietnam in recent years.

This 50-year period does not in fact represent the depth of the Vietnam-India relationship. We are proud of the relationship between the two countries which has developed in all fields of politics, security and defense, science and technology, economy and trade, investment, tourism, people-to-people diplomacy. And we wish to promote the relationship between the two countries.

- Can you share what activities Vietnam and India plan to organize to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations?

Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau: To prepare for the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations establishment, both countries started with a series of specific activities.

On January 6, the Vice President of Vietnam and the Vice President of India will exchange congratulatory messages to each other. Leaders of the two countries will send congratulatory messages.

Both sides will conduct high-level visits with milestones such as the signing of a credit agreement with Vietnam to borrow 500 million USD from India to promote cooperation in the field of defense.

We will try to hit the mark of 15 billion USD in trade. We are trying to catch a new wave of Indian investment in Vietnam with big projects, including oil and gas exploitation projects, medicine park projects, and medical equipment manufacturing projects.

We also have a series of specific items to promote bilateral relations such as making a common dictionary of the relationship between the two countries or including in the curriculum about the history of the other country. This is a sign the close-knit relations between the two countries.

In addition, we also try to promote cooperation in new areas, including learning from experiences to build a digital nation, promoting further cooperation in the production of pharmaceuticals as well as vaccines or we will help India train generations of Indian doctors.

On the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the two countries have decided to inaugurate the statue of President Ho Chi Minh in New Delhi and the statue of national hero Mahatma Gandhi in Ho Chi Minh City.

The future of cooperation between the two countries is very bright for many reasons. Firstly, we have a very solid relationship foundation, which is a long-standing traditional friendship and cooperation, we receive the attention of the leaders and the people from both countries who are continuing to work on strengthening that relationship.

Meeting between Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung and Indian Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Photo: VNA

- Could you please rate the prospects of bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and India in the coming time? What strengths do the two countries have that can complement each other in this process?

Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau: We are an emerging economy and our two economies complement each other, so we can work together to develop. In addition, we can learn from each other because India is leading in many fields that Vietnam needs to learn such as digital technology, science and technology, space energy or nuclear.

Vietnam can share the experience in social governance, poverty alleviation and other social policies. Those may be necessary lessons for India in the future.

- What do you think the two countries need to do in the near future to deepen the bilateral relationship and become more substantive?

Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau: Both countries have the interests of creating a peaceful and stable environment in the region and developing together. India is expected to become the world's third-largest economy and Vietnam has a goal of becoming an industrialized country by 2045.

Therefore, the two countries need to coordinate more closely in the international arena and support each other to protect one another's interests, especially national interests, related to sovereignty and territorial security.

Vietnam and India have cooperated very well in many forums, especially at the United Nations Security Council when both countries are non-permanent members.

We also have many similar views on regional and world issues, therefore, we must all fight to protect a world order based on international law, including the United Nations Charter including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.

In addition, the two countries should try to create conditions to utilize each other's resources for development. Two-way trade turnover is shooting up, but investment between the two countries is still limited.

We must promote investment to create a wave of Indian investment in Vietnam as well as a wave of Vietnamese investment in India, especially in the two fields of pharmaceuticals and science and technology. In addition, we need to continue the exchange of delegations at all levels and people-to-people exchanges.

Currently, Vietnam is implementing a comprehensive foreign policy, including Party diplomacy, state diplomacy and people's diplomacy. India is a very suitable country for us to implement that comprehensive foreign policy.

So, all ministries, social organizations and the Communist Party of Vietnam as well as political parties of India need to strengthen cooperation.

Only in this way can we create the foundation of the interweaving of geostrategic interests, economic interests and emotional ties between our two peoples.

- Thank you Ambassador!.

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