Phuc thanked the Indian government for donating medical supplies, including respirators, to Vietnam, and expected the Ambassador will lobby his government to provide continued support in the near future.
He asked the Ambassador to help promote cooperation between the two countries, through maintaining high-level contacts, implementing existing cooperation mechanisms such as the Vietnam - India Joint Committee on Economic, Trade, Scientific and Technological Cooperation, and holding political consultation online or in person.
The two sides need to cooperate efficiently in celebrating 50 years of their diplomatic relations, and realize the action program on the Vietnam – India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for 2021-2023 in order to concretize the agreed areas of cooperation, he said.
The President suggested promoting bilateral cooperation in the areas of defense-security, cyber security, intelligence exchange, counter-terrorism, transnational crime prevention, as well as non-traditional security issues.
On economic and trade cooperation, President Phuc suggested that the Government of India open the door for Vietnamese goods, especially agricultural products like longan, rambutan and durian, to enter its market.
Vietnam always welcomes Indian businesses to increase investment in Vietnam in the areas of their strength such as processing and manufacturing technology, automobile supporting industry, information and communications technology, renewable energy, high-tech agriculture, and innovation, he said.
According to Phuc, the two sides should strengthen people-to-people exchanges, boost culture and tourism cooperation and soon resume flights when conditions permit.
The State President highly appreciated India’s important voice, especially on the East Sea issue, and expected the two sides would continue to closely coordinate and support each other at multilateral forums including the United Nations Security Council of which both countries are non-permanent members.
For his part, Ambassador Pranay Verma welcomed President Phuc’s proposals, and noted that given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, two-way trade between the two countries has grown well and could hit US$15 billion this year. He suggested that the Vietnamese Government continue to create favourable conditions for oil and gas enterprises of the two sides to expand their cooperation programmes.
The Ambassador also affirmed that he will make efforts to support Vietnam in restoring and preserving My Son cultural relic, a World Cultural Heritage site, with the project likely to be completed early next year.
Although India is focusing on the national vaccination programme, it always pays attention to the pandemic prevention of its partners, including Vietnam, he told his host, assuring that India will try its best to support Vietnam in its ongoing COVID-19 fight.
President Phuc said he would direct Vietnamese authorities to coordinate with the Ambassador and Indian authorities to effectively implement cooperation programmes between the two countries.
He also conveyed his invitations to the President and Prime Minister of India to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time.