Vietnam-India agree to soon negotiate bilateral free trade agreement

The Prime Ministers of Vietnam and India agreed to continue promoting the exchange of visits and high-level contacts in a flexible manner between the two countries' leaders; and to soon negotiate a bilateral free trade agreement.

The 21st ASEAN-India Summit. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

According to a special correspondent of the Vietnam News Agency, on October 11, on the occasion of attending the 44th-45th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and related Summits in Vientiane (Laos), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sending a letter of condolence and providing emergency aid of 35 tons of goods worth 1 million USD to support areas affected by storm No. 3 (international name: Typhoon Yagi), demonstrating the good feelings, traditional friendship and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his satisfaction with the substantive results achieved during his recent State visit to India; highly appreciated the two sides' active coordination in implementing the results of the visit.

Discussing the direction of cooperation in the coming time, the two Prime Ministers agreed to continue promoting the exchange of visits and high-level contacts in a flexible manner between the leaders of the two countries; soon negotiate a bilateral free trade agreement, and increase the frequency of direct flights connecting major cities of the two countries to facilitate trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

Discussing regional and international issues, Prime Minister Modi appreciated the successful outcomes of the 44th-45th ASEAN Summits and related Summits in Vientiane, which will have a widespread impact in the region.

The two Prime Ministers agreed to continue supporting each other and cooperating closely at regional and international forums, especially the United Nations, ASEAN and ASEAN-led mechanisms, upholding the principles of ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, and peacefully resolving disputes on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/viet-nam-an-do-nhat-tri-som-dam-phan-hiep-dinh-thuong-mai-tu-do-song-phuong.html