President Mukherjee arrives in Hanoi on state visit

President Pranab Mukherjee arrived in Hanoi on Sunday on a four-day state visit during which he will meet top leaders to boost the bilateral and strategic partnership between India and Vietnam.

Upon his arrival, the President was accorded with a guard of honour as he was greeted at the Noi Bai International Airport by members of the Vietnamese government as well as officials from the Indian embassy.

During his visit, President Mukherjee is scheduled to meet Vietnam President Truong Tan Sang and Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. He is expected to discuss issues pertaining to international, regional and bilateral importance. He is also scheduled to visit the historic Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon.

Prior to his departure, President Mukherjee told a Vietnamese news agency in New Delhi that the bilateral relations between India and Vietnam are excellent.

"They have never been better than what they are today. Our strategic partnership, which was established in 2007, is now entering its eighth year of implementation. In recent years, our relations have witnessed a continuous broadening and deepening in all aspects. Our relations are marked by strong mutual trust, understanding, support and a convergence of views on various regional and international issues," he added.

The President had also talked of a relationship with the strategically important country that stretched back to when Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister of India, saying, "The foundation of friendship between India and Vietnam laid by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and President Ho Chi Minh has flourished over the years and has brought us to a high point today. In India, we have great admiration for the Vietnamese people, their fortitude, courage and for their determination to succeed against odds. I am confident that our mutual goodwill can be translated into further mutually beneficial cooperation, as there is immense potential for future cooperation. Moreover, our partnership is also beneficial to ASEAN and the region beyond. During my visit to Vietnam in the coming days, I look forward to strengthening this partnership through discussions with my counterpart, His Excellency President Truong Tan Sang and other leaders of Vietnam."

The visit of President Mukherjee to Vietnam comes after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's three-day visit to the country in August this year.