Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien received Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Sandeep Arya in Hanoi on February 14, during which Dien proposed that the Indian side speed up the opening of its market for Vietnamese farm produce and fresh fruits.
Highlighting that Vietnam is rich in tropical fruits, but only dragon fruit has reached the Indian market, Minister Dien asked for the Indian diplomat’s support in hastening the import licencing process for Vietnamese fruits, initially longan, pomelo, rambutan and durian, and then for others such as avocado, coconut, watermelon and strawberry.
The Vietnamese official raised concerns about India's policy measures in recent years, including those against peppercorn, cashew nuts and incense sticks of Vietnam, underlining that the measures may hinder trade activities between the two sides.
He suggested that the Indian ambassador convey these concerns of Vietnam in particular and ASEAN countries in general to relevant authorities, while seeking suitable solutions on the basis of regulations and commitments in multilateral framework, ensuring the legitimate interests of all parties.
Dien hailed the role of the ambassador in promoting the partnership between the two countries, especially in trade, industry and energy. He expressed his hope that the diplomat will make greater contributions to the growth of the Vietnam-India comprehensive strategic partnership in the time to come.
Both sides shared delight at the expanding bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation over the years, with India becoming the largest investors and trade partners of Vietnam in the South Asian region.
Source: VietnamPlus