Receiving Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday, President Truong Tan Sang expressed delight at the development of economic and trade ties between the two countries. 

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh receives India's Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Sang said Viet Nam was willing to open its door to welcome India's presence in various fields. He proposed the two countries enhance co-operation in the fields of energy, garments and textiles and national defence training.

Swaraj said she wished the two sides would soon sign Memorandums of Understanding to boost co-operation in the fields of agriculture, fisheries and national defence.

She said the two countries should increase connections by opening more direct air routes and enhance co-operation in infrastructure construction.

The same day, Swaraj met Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. She said the Indian government valued its co-operation with Viet Nam as the country gains significance in the global arena.

Swaraj conveyed Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi's invitation to Dung to visit India in October to continue discussing potential bilateral orientations.

As India appreciated Viet Nam's security and national defence capabilities and expected to become its partner in this regard, the FM suggested stronger co-operation on all fronts. Regarding the economy, the FM aspired to double or triple trade between the two countries, conclude negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement and launch a direct air route in the near future.

She revealed that Indian firms were interested in investing in infrastructure and signing deals with Vietnamese corn and rice producers, as well as pangasius farming enterprises.

Furthermore, the FM proposed that the two countries should promote youth and cultural exchanges to increase mutual understanding.

Turning to the issue of the East Sea, Swaraj reported that at the recent ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Myanmar, India took a stance opposing the use and threat to use force in international disputes while supporting the peaceful settlement of disputes in line with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Agreeing with Swaraj's proposals, PM Dung confirmed that Viet Nam intended to develop its strategic partnership with India in all areas. The host said he looked forward to welcoming the Indian President to Viet Nam next month and thanked his counterpart Modi for the invitation to visit India, concluding that their reciprocal visits would take their strategic partnership to a higher level.

Viet Nam supported India's Look East policy and its growing ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Dung confirmed.

Enhanced relations

On the same day, Swaraj held talks with Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, saying that the newly-elected Indian Government continued to regard Viet Nam as a pillar in its Look East policy.

They highlighted the need to continue improving economic ties in an effort to raise two-way trade to US$7 billion by 2015 and US$15 billion by 2020 as agreed.

They agreed on the need to promote the efficiency of bilateral co-operation mechanisms, such as the Intergovernmental Committee on Economic, Scientific, Technological, Cultural and Educational Co-operation; security and defence dialogue; and political consultation between the two foreign ministries.

Both sides were also committed to facilitating the collaboration of businesses in their respective fields of strength.

Both parties applauded Indian Jet Airways' plan to open a direct air route between the two countries in November, adding that this would facilitate economic, trade, cultural and tourism activities.

The ministers exchanged views on global issues while promising reciprocal support in regional and international forums, such as those between ASEAN and India, the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the United Nations.

They also touched upon recent developments in the East Sea and agreed on the importance of ensuring peace, stability, security, and safety of navigation in these waters.

VNS/VNA