Secretary of HCM City Party Committee Nguyễn Văn Nên and Minister of External Affairs of India Subrahmanyam Jaishankar had talks on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Khu

HCM CITY — Secretary of HCM City Party Committee Nguyễn Văn Nên on Tuesday morning received Minister of External Affairs of India Subrahmanyam Jaishankar who is on a working visit to the city.

He said that over the past 50 years, despite the volatile and complex world situation, the traditional friendship relations between Việt Nam and India founded by President Hồ Chí Minh and Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and nurtured by generations of leaders and people of the two countries have been continuously consolidated and developed.

The official also congratulated the guest on the outcomes of the 18th meeting of the Việt Nam-India Joint Committee for Economic, Trade, Science and Technology Cooperation that he co-chaired in Hà Nội on Monday.

He said the city has been implementing cooperative activities with India and will strive to actively contribute to the early realisation of the target of US$20 billion in two-way trade turnover between Việt Nam and India that the joint committee just approved.

Over the last few years, the relationship between the city and India has continuously been strengthened and developed in the fields of trade cooperation, investment, and people-to-people exchanges, he said, adding however that room remains for cooperation with Indian partners.

The official expressed his hope that India will continue to facilitate businesses from both sides to seek opportunities and promote cooperation in areas like trade, tourism, science - technology, and education.

For his part, the Indian minister said India and Việt Nam are both trying to overcome difficulties and challenges but share the desire to promote their cooperative relationship and ensure peace and stability in the region.

He spoke highly of HCM City's economic development and its role in promoting tourism, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar thanked the city for supporting and facilitating the activities of the Indian Consulate General in the city, saying he hopes India and the city will further promote economic, trade and investment, especially strengthen the cooperative relationship between businesses of both sides.

He said that many Indian businesses want to learn about and seek cooperation opportunities in fields such as pharmaceuticals and infrastructure construction. — VNS