External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar touched down in Vietnam on Sunday commencing his four-day official visit which includes co-chairing the 18th Joint Commission meeting. Upon his arrival, the External Affairs Minister was warmly greeted by Vietnam’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bui Thanh Son, at the renowned Tran Quoc pagoda.
Sharing his arrival experience, EAM Jaishankar expressed his gratitude to @FMBuiThanhSon and his eagerness to co-chair the 18th Joint Commission Meeting in a post on X (previously Twitter). The Minister also took the time to visit the historic Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi, an emblem of the longstanding ties between India and Vietnam, where he highlighted the significance of the Bodhi tree, a gift from President Rajendra Prasad to President Ho Chi Minh in 1959.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) highlighted that the EAM’s visit to Vietnam was in response to an invitation from his counterpart, Bui Thanh Son. As part of his visit, Jaishankar is slated to lead discussions in the 18th meeting of the India-Vietnam Joint Commission on Economic, Trade, Scientific, and Technological Cooperation alongside his Vietnamese counterpart.
During his stay, the External Affairs Minister is scheduled to engage with the leadership in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and is expected to meet with the Indian community, as well as unveil Mahatma Gandhi’s Bust in Ho Chi Minh City. With Vietnam being a crucial partner in India’s Act East Policy, the visit is viewed as an opportunity to evaluate progress in various sectors and explore avenues for furthering bilateral cooperation, as per the MEA.
Following his time in Vietnam, EAM Jaishankar will continue his diplomatic engagements with an official visit to Singapore from October 19-20.
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