India values Vietnam’s strategic position in the region and wants to strengthen relations with the Southeast Asian nation.

President Pranab Mukherjee was speaking while receiving a Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) delegation led by VFF President Huynh Dam in New Delhi on December 7.

He highlighted the time-honoured relationship between India and Vietnam founded and fostered by late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and late President Ho Chi Minh and their successors.  

He expressed his admiration for Vietnam’s past struggle for national liberation, as well as its achievements during the current Doi Moi (Renewal) process.

Mukherjee described difficulties in bilateral economic cooperation as temporary, and believed that the two countries will meet the target of raising two-way trade to US$7 billion in 2015.

VFF President Huynh Dam recalled late Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Van Dong’s speech on the exemplary faithful relations between Vietnam and India, and hoped leaders of the two countries will continue strengthening the relations up to their potential.

He confirmed that Vietnam supports India’s permanent UN Security Council membership bid, as well as its Look East policy.

At a reception for Shantanu Srivastava, managing director and CEO of Ishan International Pvt. Ltd, the same day, Dam praised the CEO’s contributions to promoting Vietnam-India relations, especially in economics.

Shantanu said he has developed a close bond with Vietnam for 30 years and is undertaking several projects in Vietnam, including small hydro-electric power plants.

The VFF delegation left India in the evening for Hong Kong, beginning their working trip overseas. 

(VOV)