Meeting with Vietnam President to add momentum to ties: PM Modi

United Nations, Sep 24 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Vietnamese President To Lam on the sidelines of the UN's Summit of the Future, saying the meeting will add momentum to the relations between the two countries.

After their meeting, PM Modi wrote on X: "We took stock of the full range of India-Vietnam friendship. We look forward to adding momentum in sectors such as connectivity, trade, culture, and more."

The two nations are deepening their ties in many areas with a multi-pronged strategic partnership.

The background to the meeting is the visit of Vietnamese Prime Minister Minh Chinh to India in July when a joint statement by him and PM Modi spoke of strengthening "the Vietnam-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in all areas".

"The leaders agreed that the current geo-political realities call for closer cooperation between India and Vietnam," the joint statement had read.

"They recognised convergence in their world view," it said.

The Prime Ministers' statement reiterated their commitment to the Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030 and strengthening defence cooperation.

"Two-way trade turnover has increased 2.5 fold since the two countries upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2016, reaching nearly $15 billion in 2023," according to Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Thanh Binh quoted by the publication Voice of Vietnam.

The minister said that "large Indian corporations are enhancing cooperation with Vietnam in strategic fields such as renewable energy, processing, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, seaport infrastructure, and logistics".

He also said that Vietnamese companies were also investing in India, with the automobile maker Vinfast Group committing $2 billion to a factory in Tamil Nadu.

Earlier, speaking at the UN's Summit of the Future which aims to chart the path forward for the UN and world seeking relevance, PM Modi placed India at the centre of the global striving for development and peace. He said that on behalf of the "one-sixth" of humanity, they will work for "all humanity and for global prosperity".

PM Modi said: "India will continue to work in thought, words and deeds to protect the rights of all humanity and for global prosperity."

As he took the green-marbled rostrum with gold UN insignia, the Prime Minister, dressed in a simple white kurta outfit with a dark Modi waistcoat, spoke for just under five minutes in the vaulted General Assembly Hall that gives a place for all 193 UN members as the assembled leaders gave him an applause.

"When we are discussing the global future, we must accord the highest priority to a human-centric approach while prioritising sustainable development," he said.

"We must also ensure human welfare, food and health security."

PM Modi also focused on cooperation in two areas where India has demonstrated its capability: Eradicating poverty and bridging the digital divide.

"By lifting 250 million people out of poverty in India, we have demonstrated that sustainable development can be successful," the Prime Minister said.

"We are ready to share this experience of our success with the entire Global South friends," he added.

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