India to strengthen tourism and cultural ties with Vietnam

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ANI: New Delhi, Jan 05 2013, 10:54 IST

Minister of State for Tourism K. Chiranjeevi has said that India as a part of its the look east policy is sparing no effort to add more content to its ''strategic partnership'' with Vietnam, in the fields of defence, economic, scientific-educational and cultural cooperation.

“Our trade reached USD 3.9 billion in 2011, and is on track to meet the target of USD 7 billion in 2015. Indian investments in Vietnam now exceed US$ 800 million. Sea, surface and air connectivity with ASEAN in all its dimensions - physical, institutional and people-to-people - is a key priority for India, which is why we decided to have ministerial-level participation from India for both the Car Rally and Sudarshini visits," said Chiranjeevi, while prioritising the Indo-ASEAN trade.

Chiranjeevi, who was addressing a luncheon reception hosted by Indian Business Chamber in Vietnam (INCHAM) in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, also mentioned that sea, surface and air connectivity with ASEAN in all its dimensions - physical, institutional and people-to-people - is a key priority for India, which is the reason to decided to have ministerial-level participation from India for both the Car Rally and Sudarshini visits.

He further said ''the India-Myanmar-Thailand highway, once completed in 2016, will directly link India''s North Eastern region to these two countries and the larger ASEAN region beyond, including Vietnam and Cambodia''.

Regarding tourists'' arrival from Vietnam to India, Chiranjeevi said: "The number of travellers between India and Vietnam exceed 40000 a year, growing by about 15-20 percent annually. The Vietnamese are

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lisa mayers | 05-Jan-2013Reply | Forward

India must prioritize the top level of energy to build stronger tie to ASEAN in general and Vietnam in particular. A positive bi-product of this effort would be the clean counter-weight to Chinese expansionism. With 600 mm population, South East Asia is 1/2 of China's without any nation possessing self-centered mentality and lawless ambition. Ancient Indian influences and modern Indian values are familiar and well accepted by ASEAN members. India also will respond to their immediate need of a strong and non-threatening friend that the Chinese and the US are not.