Consul General of India in HCM City Madam Mohan Sethi speaks at the press conference. (Photo: qdnd.vn)

The information was announced by Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City Madam Mohan Sethi at a press conference on January 4.

The Indian diplomat spotlighted the sound development of the Vietnam – Indian relations, stressing that the two countries have shared a strong friendship over the last five decades and closely cooperated across fields in order to bring practical benefits to their people.

He affirmed that Vietnam is always India' important partner in ASEAN.

According to Sethi, the Indian Consulate General planned to host 125 trade and investment promotion programmes, and exchange events among students and doctors of the two nations.

Film screening programmes, exhibitions, workshops on Vietnam – India relationship, seminars, and other cultural events will be also included.

Tourism promotion activities will also be arranged to attract Indian tourists to Vietnam’s Nha Trang, Vung Tau and Phu Quoc, he added.

Sethi affirmed that he will do his utmost to promote friendships between 29 southern localities of Vietnam and Indian localities, and expand trade ties between the two countries’ localities towards lifting their two-way trade to 14 billion USD.

Indian partners will also boost cooperation with Ho Chi Minh City in investment promotion, doctor training and exchange; enhance medical cooperation with Ninh Thuan province; help Tay Ninh train gifted students, and provide English training courses for officials of Kien Giang province, he added.