Attending the Third Dialogue, the Indian Delegate was honored to welcome Mrs. Vijay Thakur Singh, Ambassador, Director of ICWA; Mr. Pranay Verma, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India in Vietnam; Mr. Subhash Prasad Gupta, Deputy Ambassador of the Republic of India to Vietnam; Dr. Prabir De, India-ASEAN Centre, Institute of Information and Research for Developing Countries (RIS), New Delhi; Prof. Dr. Parul Pandya Dhar, Faculty of History, University of Delhi; Dr. Udai Bhanu Singh, Senior Research Fellow and Coordinator, Center for Southeast Asia and Oceania, MPIDSA, New Delhi; Dr. Temjenmeren Ao, Researcher, ICWA and Mr. Thiagarajan Ramesh, Second Secretary, Embassy of India in Vietnam.
On the VASS side, there was the presence of Dr. Dang Xuan Thanh, Vice President of the Academy; Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Duc Minh, Vice President of VASS; MA. Nguyen Thanh Ha, Head of International Cooperation Department; Assoc.Prof.Dr. Tran Thi Lan Huong, Head of the Scientific Management Board; Dr. Pham Cao Cuong, Deputy Director in charge of the Institute of Indian and Southwest Asian Studies; Dr. Phan Cao Nhat Anh, Deputy Director of the Institute of India and Southwest Asia Studies, and representatives of leaders of international research institutes under VASS.
In 2016, Vietnam - India officially established a comprehensive strategic partnership. Over the past 5 years, India has become one of the 10 largest trading partners of Vietnam, two-way trade turnover has grown by an average of 20% annually, doubled in the past time and reached more than 13 years. billion USD by 2021. This is the result of great contributions to the strategic vision of both sides to develop a deep and lasting friendship as well as chart a new direction together, cultivating the relationship. relationship is getting stronger. The annual dialogue between VASS and ICWA is an important activity in cooperation between the two sides. The third dialogue is an activity to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and India.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Third Dialogue, on behalf of the Academy's leaders, Vice President Dang Xuan Thanh warmly welcomed the attendance of the participants. The Vice President expressed his appreciation for the friendly cooperation relationship between Vietnam - India in recent years and affirmed the great potential in the cooperation relationship between the two sides. Accordingly, in the context that the Indo-Pacific region is experiencing many profound and complicated changes, especially efforts to overcome the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam and India need to create making leaps and bounds in the cooperative relations between the two countries; closer coordination is needed to contribute to a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. Thereby, political determination and creativity, flexibility play an important role in promoting dialogue and cooperation to find solutions to the comprehensive strategic partnership and traditional friendship of Vietnam. - India continues to be consolidated and developed.
Vice President Dang Xuan Thanh also emphasized the goal of the Third Dialogue towards discussing ways to increase trade turnover, cultural exchange, coordination in regional organizations and forums area. In particular, the two sides will give policy suggestions to the two governments, contributing to a successful journey of the half-century history of Vietnam-India relations.
In her opening remarks, Mrs. Vijay Thakur Singh gratefully thanked the warm welcome of VASS; highly appreciated the cooperation relationship between Vietnam - India in recent years. Accordingly, Vietnam is a key pillar of India's Act East policy and an important partner of ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific. The ICWA Director affirmed the central role of ASEAN in the Indian Ocean vision based on the convergence between the ASEAN Outlook on the Pacific (AOIP) and the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative (IPOI). of India, towards deepening cooperation with Vietnam in green economy, maritime security and safety, marine environment and sustainable use of marine resources. She affirmed that the goal of the Vietnam - India Dialogue is based on the pillars of peace, prosperity and happiness. Within the framework of today's dialogue, the ICWA Director hoped that experts would come together to discuss ideas in order to strongly promote bilateral cooperation in many fields in the coming time.
In the opening speech at the dialogue, Indian Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Pranay Verma expressed his appreciation for the cooperation relationship between Vietnam and India over the past time. At the same time, he stressed that the important third dialogue took place in the context of regional and world fluctuations. Besides, based on the similarities between the two countries, the Ambassador expressed his belief in the potential of cooperation between the two sides and this relationship will bring stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Besides, the cooperation between ICWA and VASS has great significance in policy making in India as well as opening a new horizon in the relationship between Vietnam - India in the future.
The Third Dialogue has 08 presentations, divided into 04 discussion sessions, focusing on the following main issues:
Session 1: Regional and International Issues - Vietnam and India Perspectives; Session 2: Vietnam and India, partners for peace; Session 3: Vietnam- India - partners for prosperity; Session 4: Vietnam - India- Cultural links and people-to-people diplomacy. Speakers (Dr. Pham Cao Cuong, Dr. Udai Bhanu Singh; Dr. Temjenmeren Ao; Colonel, MSc Vu Van Khanh, former Head of International Studies, Institute of Defense Strategy, Ministry of National Defense; Dr. Prabir De; Dr. Phi Vinh Tuong - VASS; Prof. Dr. Parul Pandya Dhar, Faculty of History, University of Delhi; Dr. Vo Xuan Vinh, Dr. Huynh Thanh Loan & Dr. Le Thi Hang Nga (VASS) presented present contents about the world situation and its significance to Vietnam - India relations; regional and global transformation: A Perspective from India; India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: Broad Assessment and Future Trajectory; Enhancing Vietnam- India cooperation in the new context; Deepening India-Vietnam economic partnership; Cultural Links between India and Vietnam: Past in Present; Cultural diplomacy and people-to-people exchange, cultural connection between Vietnam and India.
At the Dialogue, the scholars shared their views and opinions on the volatile and complicated world context, the rising of China, the transformation of the world order, and crises such as: The Covid-19 pandemic or the war between Russia and Ukraine... are posing a great challenge to the Vietnam - India relations towards the common goal of peace and prosperity in the region and in the world. Besides, in order to promote the diplomatic relationship and comprehensive strategic partnership, Vietnam - India need to actively seek new areas of cooperation (vaccine production, education-training, construction building a digital economy, aviation, space...); It is necessary to build a framework for cooperation in high technology, connecting the two sides' supply chains, etc. In particular, the scholars affirmed that the connection and similarity in culture and people-to-people exchanges will create great strength for the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
Looking back at 50 years of diplomatic relations and 05 years of comprehensive strategic partnership, the two countries Vietnam and India can fully believe and be optimistic in the prospect of the good relationship that the two sides have built. The 3rd VASS-ICWA Dialogue took place successfully, contributing to the further development of scientific cooperation between the two leading research institutions as well as creating opportunities for academic exchanges and exchanges between institutions policy makers, scientists, diplomats in new fields. Thereby further promoting the diplomatic relationship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and India to new heights, contributing to the peaceful and prosperous development in the region and the world.
On the same day, the ICWA high-level delegation led by Ambassador Vijay Thakur Singh and Ambassador Pranay Verma had a courtesy meeting with Assoc.Prof. Bui Nhat Quang, Member of the Central Committee of the Party, President of VASS that exchanged some orientations for scientific cooperation between the two sides in the next time.
Nguyen Thu Trang
