Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Parvathaneni Harish made the evaluation at a seminar on prospects of bilateral ties held in Hanoi on September 21.

He said the two countries elevated the bilateral relations to comprehensive strategic partnership during the official visit to Vietnam by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2016.

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Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Parvathaneni Harish speaks at the seminar. Source: kinhtedothi.vn 
India considers ASEAN the center of its Act East policy and Vietnam is an important pillar in this policy, the diplomat said, adding that he believes in even brighter development prospects for the two nations’ partnership.

President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences Nguyen Quang Thuan said since Vietnam and India gained independence in 1945 and 1947 respectively, the bilateral ties have been continuously nurtured and developed to new heights.

He noted that Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was the first foreign leader to visit Vietnam after the Southeast Asian country made the historic Dien Bien Phu victory in 1945.

Trade relations were also high on the seminar’s agenda, with attention on the obstacles that hinder bilateral trade and solutions.

Director of the Institute for India and Southwest Asia Studies Nguyen Xuan Trung said there are three groups of barriers in Vietnam-India trade relations, which are cultural, religious and institutional differences.

He suggested the two sides expand legal foundation and increase the efficiency of trade promotion activities.

Source: VNA