Vietnam PM Pham Minh Chinh
Credit: X/@MEAIndia
New Delhi: Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh arrived here on Tuesday night on a three-day visit to India with an aim to further expand the strategic ties between the two countries.
Chinh was received at the airport by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita.
"Warm welcome to PM Phám Minh Chinh of Vietnam as he arrives in New Delhi on a State Visit," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on 'X'.
"India and Vietnam share civilizational links and a longstanding friendship based on mutual trust. The visit will further strengthen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," he said.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India considers Vietnam as a key pillar of its Act East Policy and an important partner in its Indo-Pacific vision.
Chinh is accompanied by a high-level delegation including several ministers, deputy ministers and business leaders.
On August 1, the visiting leader will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan after which he will visit Rajghat to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinh are scheduled to hold bilateral discussions that day.
Chinh is also scheduled to call on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is expected to call on the visiting prime minister, according to the MEA.
"India and Vietnam have age-old historical and civilizational ties, which were elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership during the visit of the prime minister to Vietnam in September 2016," it said in a statement.