Vietnamese and Indian delegates perform the lamp lighting ceremony at the event commemorating India’s 77th Republic Day in HCM City on Saturday. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Khu

HCM CITY — The HCM City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) held a ceremony at the HCM City Branch of Hồ Chí Minh Museum on Saturday to commemorate India’s 77th Republic Day (January 26, 1950-2026), reflecting the warm sentiments and solidarity between the peoples of the city and India.

Addressing the ceremony, Huỳnh Thành Lập, chairman of the Việt Nam–India Friendship Association of HCM City, highlighted the historical significance of January 26, 1950 – the day India’s Constitution came into force – in the country’s development.

He noted that Việt Nam and India share a long-standing traditional relationship, underpinned by many commonalities in culture, art and religion. This relationship was further strengthened following the historic meeting between President Hồ Chí Minh and Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1954, and especially after the two countries officially established diplomatic relations in 1972.

Lập emphasised that 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the elevation of Việt Nam–India relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Over the past decade, bilateral ties have made strong strides across political, economic, cultural and religious cooperation, as well as people-to-people exchanges.

HCM City, he said, has consistently attached importance to and actively contributed to the effective implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership through diverse and substantive collaboration in trade and investment, culture, education, tourism and people-to-people exchanges with Indian partners.

He expressed his hope for continued close coordination with the Indian Consulate General in HCM City and the Indian Business Association in Việt Nam, adding that future efforts will focus on organising more cultural and artistic exchanges, fostering business connectivity, and leveraging shared cultural values to deepen people-to-people diplomacy and further strengthen bilateral relations.

Vipra Pandey, Indian Consul General in the city, said that over the past decade, high-level exchanges between leaders of the two countries have contributed to trust-building and a shared vision for peace and prosperity, while economic ties have expanded markedly, with bilateral trade increasing by approximately 2.5 times since 2016.

Cultural engagement has also become increasingly dynamic through cooperation in religion, the International Day of Yoga, cinema, tourism and education.

The Consul General pledged to maintain close coordination with the HUFO and the Việt Nam–India Friendship Association of the city in order help advance the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries. — VNA/VNS