Vice-President Naidu on Vietnam visit from Thursday

He will hold meetings with Vice-President of Vietnam Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Chairperson of National Assembly of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, the MEA said in an official statement.

Naidu will deliver the keynote address at the 16th United Nations Day of Vesak Celebration at Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam Province.

He will also meet the Indian community and Vietnamese beneficiaries of the Jaipur Foot Artificial Limb Fitment Camp organized in Vietnam under the 'India for Humanity' initiative launched to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the statement said.

It said India-Vietnam relations have been built on a firm foundation of close cultural, historical and civilisational links and are marked by mutual trust and understanding as well as strong cooperation in regional and international fora.

During the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Vietnam in September 2016, the relationship between the two countries was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the statement said.

Naidu's visit to Vietnam follows a series of high-level exchanges that have taken place in 2018, including visits to India by the prime minister of Vietnam (January 2018) and by the president of Vietnam (March 2018), it said.

These exchanges have resulted in robust cooperation in several areas, have expanded defence and security ties, forged new economic and commercial linkages and deepened people-to-people engagement. The two sides share a common desire to promote peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, the statement said.