The medical supply handover ceremony from the Việt Nam-India Friendship Association to India was held on Tuesday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Minister of Information and Communications Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng, who also chairs the Việt Nam-India Friendship Association, presented 100,000 antibacterial cloth masks to Indian Ambassador Pranay Verma on Tuesday to assist the South Asian nation in the fight against COVID-19.
Hùng said the two countries boast a long-standing friendship and now, their relations in all aspects, from economy, trade, investment to security, defence, science, culture and education, have been developing strongly.
The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the biggest challenges the humankind has faced over the last 100 years, he said, noting that Việt Nam and India can share many practical experiences and valuable lessons to jointly defeat this outbreak.
The official added with the wish to help India prevent the disease, the Việt Nam-India Friendship Association has called on businesses in the information and communications sector to donate 100,000 antibacterial cloth masks to the Indian people.
The small gifts demonstrate the Vietnamese people’s solidarity and friendship with their Indian peers, he noted.
Offering thanks to the Việt Nam-India Friendship Association, Ambassador Verma said the face masks will be distributed widely to the Indian people.
He also said the Vietnamese and Indian Prime Ministers held phone talks on April 13 during which they agreed that their agencies would keep in touch to coordinate the countries’ response against the pandemic and boost cooperation in other spheres of bilateral ties.
In an earlier meeting with Ambassador Verma, Minister Hùng touched upon the big changes in social activities amid the COVID-19 outbreak such as working from home, online learning, e-payment, and online health check-ups.
Việt Nam plans to put its 5G network and devices into operation this October. Meanwhile, India is known as the software workshop of the world. Therefore, he said he hopes IT businesses of the two countries will enhance collaboration in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and dealing with global issues like cyber security.
Verma also shared his views on current technological issues like 5G, e-Government building and IT manpower training which, he believes, Việt Nam and India have their own advantages in, and can work together for common development. — VNS