Sushma Swaraj arrives in Vietnam to deepen bilateral strategic cooperation
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday arrived in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, on the first leg of her four-day two-nation tour, which aims at deepening India's strategic cooperation with Vietnam and Cambodia. Swaraj was received by Ambassador P Harish and Indian children who greeted her with flowers and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, the Indian Embassy in Vietnam said.
Sushma Swaraj was greeted by Indian children with flowers
Swaraj will co-chair 16th meeting of Joint Commission in Vietnam
India's ties are on an upswing with Vietnam and Cambodia, the two major countries in the powerful Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) grouping. India has been particularly scaling up its cooperation with Vietnam in areas of maritime security and energy. In Vietnam, Swaraj will co-chair 16th meeting of Joint Commission, along with the country's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.
Swaraj's first leg of two-country visit to South East Asia
Swaraj will discuss bilateral and regional issues with Cambodia
Swaraj will visit Cambodia on August 29. In her first official visit to Cambodia, Swaraj will hold extensive talks with her counterpart Prak Sokhonn, covering the entire expanse of bilateral and regional issues of mutual interests.
Vietnam, other ASEAN countries have territorial-disputes with China over SCS
Vietnam and several other ASEAN member countries have territorial disputes with China over the resource-rich South China Sea (SCS). China has also been opposing India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) exploring oil in areas claimed by Vietnam in the South China Sea. India has been asserting that the ONGC's exploration is a commercial operation and not connected with the dispute.
