PM Modi, Nguyen Phu Trong for exchanges at people to people level

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Communist Party of Vietnam general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong here on Saturday during which they agreed that there should be more exchanges at the people to people level to further strengthen the relationship.

"We should increase exchanges between political parties and our Parliaments, also between women leaders and youth," said Trong.

Prime Minister Modi also recalled Trong's visit to India in 2013 and expressed confidence that the India-Vietnam relationship would scale new heights under his guidance.

Reiterating that India always stood as a friend with Vietnam throughout history, he said that it would be rare to find such a relationship that has lasted for 2,000 years.

The Prime Minister also said that areas such as cyber security and information technology would benefit from the creation of a task force and help both sides solve future problems.

On his part, Trong agreed that India-Vietnam relations were time tested and durable.

He said that he had visited India twice in 2010 and 2013, adding both visits had left a very good impression.

He added that the Vietnamese people had never forgotten India's strong support during the country's struggle for independence.

"The upgradation of relationship to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was an indicator of the importance Vietnam attaches to India," he said.

He thanked the Prime Minister for India's support to Vietnam's armed forces and agreed that cooperation in cyber security was very important.

Trong also called for intensified coordination in regional and multilateral fora and appreciated India's principled position on the South China Sea issue.

Prime Minister Modi, who was on a two-day visit to Vietnam, also held delegation-level talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Later, he called on Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang at the Presidential Palace here.

During the meeting, President Quang said Vietnam fully supports India's Act East Policy and thanked New Delhi for consistent support to socio-economic development of the country.

He called for frequent high-level exchanges to further strengthen political trust between the two countries and sought further support from India in investment, education, training and science and technology.

During Prime Minister Modi's visit to Vietnam, the two countries inked a dozen of agreements, including protocol on double taxation avoidance agreement, to foster better ties between the two sides.

The other agreements signed include cooperation in exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, MoU between BIS and STAMEQ for mutual recognition of standards, contact with L&T for utilization of USD 100 million LoC for offshore Patrol boats, cooperation in the field of health, celebrating 2017 as 'Year of Friendship'.