Nghe An Provincial Party Secretary received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India to Vietnam

Nghe An Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy presented flowers to welcome Mr. Sandeep Arya - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India to Vietnam to visit and work in the province. Photo: Thanh Duy

Vietnam and India have a long-standing, traditional friendship, which has been preserved, nurtured and continuously developed by generations of leaders of the two countries. Since the 1950s, President Ho Chi Minh and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation for a deep and lasting friendship through visits and contacts that went beyond diplomatic protocol.

Over the decades, despite the complex fluctuations of the regional and world situation, the Vietnam - India relationship has always maintained a sustainable friendship and has been growing well. 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and India (1972 - 2022). The two countries established a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in September 2016.

Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy and provincial leaders received Mr. Sandeep Arya - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India to Vietnam. Photo: Thanh Duy

In line with the positive development in the relationship between the two countries, the relationship between Nghe An and its partners in India is increasingly developing and expanding in many fields. Currently, in the province, there are 6 FDI projects of Indian investors that have been granted Investment Registration Certificates with a total capital of nearly 39 million USD, mainly processing stone tiles and wood.

In 2022, Nghe An's exports to the Indian market reached 43.4 million USD, with main export items including: textiles, cement, corrugated iron, steel, textile fibers and yarns, various types of stones, clinker and imports from India reached 17.9 million USD, with main import items including steel, machinery and equipment.

Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy talks with Mr. Sandeep Arya - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India to Vietnam. Photo: Thanh Duy

In March 2022, the Indian Embassy coordinated with Nghe An province and Haryana state to organize an online conference to seek investment and trade opportunities between the two localities.

In recent years, the Indian Rapid Effectiveness Fund has sponsored two projects in Nghe An with a capital of 50,000 USD/project, including: Project to build preschool classrooms in Ma Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district in 2020 and Project to build a Green Library, Lang Sen Primary School, Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan district in 2021.

Ambassador Sandeep Arya expressed his pleasure to visit and work in Nghe An, the hometown of President Ho Chi Minh - the symbol of Vietnam - India relations; and sincerely thanked the leaders of Nghe An province for the warm welcome to the Ambassador and his delegation.

Mr. Sandeep Arya - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India to Vietnam talks with Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy. Photo: Thanh Duy

Pleased to receive Mr. Sandeep Arya and members of the delegation visiting and working in Nghe An, Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy thanked the Government for its support through aid from the Indian Rapid Effectiveness Fund.

The head of Nghe An Provincial Party Committee also introduced some characteristics of the province, especially its potential and orientation to attract investment; thereby, he requested Ambassador Sandeep Arya to pay attention and be a bridge connecting Indian investors, especially in areas with strengths such as: High technology, information technology, automobiles, pharmaceutical research and investment in Nghe An; at the same time, connecting cultural exchanges between Nghe An and localities of India.

Informing that he plans to visit and work in Haryana state in 2023 to promote cooperation between the two localities, the Provincial Party Secretary hopes that the Ambassador will share and support so that the working trip can achieve the highest efficiency.

Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy presented a souvenir to Mr. Sandeep Arya - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India to Vietnam. Photo: Thanh Duy

The Provincial Party Secretary also requested the Indian Embassy to continue informing the province about scholarship programs sponsored by the Government... so that students, officials and civil servants of the province can access them.

Stressing that to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, it is necessary to promote strong cooperation at the local level, Ambassador Sandeep Arya expressed his joy and welcomed the cooperative relationship between Haryana state and Nghe An province.

The Indian Ambassador to Vietnam said that he is ready to closely coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs to develop and arrange a program for the visit and work of Nghe An provincial leaders in Haryana - a state with many strengths in the fields that Nghe An is interested in. This will be a content of the action program of the Indian Embassy in 2023; aiming to create a foundation for successful cooperation between the province and localities of India in the coming time in various fields.

Mr. Sandeep Arya - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India to Vietnam presented souvenirs to Nghe An province. Photo: Thanh Duy

The Embassy of India in Vietnam is also ready to invite Nghe An businesses to participate in the India Business Forum in Vietnam to better understand the Indian business community and open up cooperation opportunities.

Ambassador Sandeep Arya also expressed his wish to continue promoting people-to-people exchanges between India and Vietnam in general, and between Indian localities and Nghe An in particular. The Indian Government's aid to build a kindergarten in Ma Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district in 2020 and the Green Library Construction Project at Lang Sen Primary School in Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan district in 2021 is aimed at further strengthening people-to-people exchanges, connecting the younger generation to the traditional friendship and long-standing ties between the two countries.

The Indian Ambassador to Vietnam also suggested that the two sides continue to strengthen cultural exchanges through the exchange of performing art troupes in the two countries, organizing a Yoga week in Vinh City in the coming time; at the same time, strengthen cooperation in the field of education, especially hoping that many students, officials and civil servants of Nghe An province will access and receive scholarships from the Indian Government.

Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy and provincial leaders took a souvenir photo with Mr. Sandeep Arya and the working delegation. Photo: Thanh Duy

Expressing his agreement with the Ambassador's view that to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, it is necessary to promote local-level relations, Nghe An Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy thanked him for sharing and was ready to support the upcoming working trip of Nghe An province's leaders to India led by Mr. Sandeep Arya. The province will carefully study the Ambassador's suggestions and information, and exchange with the Indian Embassy as soon as possible so that the trip will achieve the best results.

Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy welcomed and expressed his readiness to welcome Indian art troupes to visit and perform in Nghe An; as well as participate in forums connecting investment between Indian enterprises and Vietnam.

For cooperation programs in education and training, the province will fully inform students, officers and civil servants to research and register.