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trade

up, we could be importing a lot of He informed Vietnam exports are more prevail (like India does). “Vietnam will
items from India’’, he said. ‘’There a than the country’s GDP. The South east- raise its voice, asking for support from
potential of 20 billion trade in tex- ern country is trading with more than other countries, including those out-
tile to Vietnam from India which is 200 countries presently. side the region because so many vessels
a possibility waiting to be explored. India, although, has objections to pass through the seas (which makes
Vietnam needs it and this is the China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initia- other nations also stakeholders).”
time’’. Presently investment from tive (BRI), Vietnam is still studying the In the absence of direct flight from
India is merely US$1 billion, there various aspects of the initiative. “We New Delhi to Hanoi tourist traffic to
is scope for much more like in have to figure out if it is good for us or Vietnam and India is considerably
energy, especially in solar energy not. If it is good, we will join it, if not, we poor. It is a roadblock that the two
and tourism. will stay away from it,” he said. Unlike governments are working upon. The
India and Vietnam commonali- India, however, Vietnam had attended Ambassador informed that connectivity
ties are abound as both countries the big BRI meet that China organised between the two capitals is being
are rapidly growing economies. last summer. worked out and talks are being held.
Vietnam’s growth rate last year Thanh did not mince words on the Currently, only Jet Airways operates
was at 6.8 per cent and in the pre- Indo Pacific saying India’s vision on flights to Ho Chi Minh City from New
vious years, it has even touched 9 the Indo-Pacific, which was revealed in Delhi and Mumbai via Bangkok.
per cent. The Ambassador said that Modi’s address at the Shangri-La Dia- Last year 110,000 tourists visited
while the defence ties were robust, logue recently, was similar to Vietnam’s Vietnam while 22 million Indians trav-
the economic relation could still approach, which is about inclusiveness,
be taken much forward. And the openness and engagement rather than
cultural ties needed to be tapped. confrontation. “We, in fact, refer to the Commonalities
area as Indo Asia Pacific,” he said. between India
Vietnam has issues with the growing
• Oiling ties There is scope for India and Chinese footprint in the South China and Vietnam are
Vietnam to boost cooperation in oil sector Sea and it wants a rules based order to
abound as both
countries are rapidly
growing economies
with the former
growing at 6.8%

elled abroad. 3.5 million Indians went to
South Asia out of them 1.6 million went
to Thailand alone. Vietnamese come to
India for pilgrim.
Vietnam is expecting 1,70,000
visitors this year, as per reports. The
number of Indian tourists to Vietnam
has risen from 16,000 in 2010 to an
estimated 1,10,000 last year, Thanh in-
formed and called for promoting India
as a destination for Vietnamese. As per
the embassy figures 20 million Indians
travel overseas every year, while only
90,000 of them go to visit Vietnam.
Thanh said the first direct air service
between Vietnam’s most populous
city Ho Chi Minh City and New Delhi is
likely to commence by the last quarter
of this financial year.
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