The Party leader was greeted by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Affairs Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister M.Veerappa Moily, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh, Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid, representatives of New Delhi city and head of the diplomatic missions in India .

Following the welcoming ceremony, Party General Secretary Trong and his entourage paid floral tribute to India ’s national hero Mahatma Gandhi at the Raj Ghat Memorial.

The same day, the Party chief held a meeting with Khurshid, during which he thanked Indian agencies, especially the Indian Foreign Ministry, for their thorough preparation for the visit.

The Vietnamese leader expressed his hope that the visit will reap success.

He highlighted fruitful developments in the relationship between Viet Nam and India on the basis of political trust and similarities shared by the two countries.

They agreed to enhance the exchange of delegations at all levels and expand cooperation in areas that two countries have a lot of potential such as economics, trade, investment, defence and security.

Speaking highly of the outcomes of the 15th meeting of the Viet Nam-India Joint Committee on Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation co-chaired by the two foreign ministries last July, he said the meeting devised concrete plans to enhance the bilateral economic linkage.

The leader said he hopes that the two countries’ governments, ministries and branches will make greater efforts to accelerate the implementation of high-level agreements, the 2013-2015 Programme of Action as well as documents to be inked during the visit.

He also voiced his expectation that the Indian Foreign Ministry and the minister himself will make more active contributions to deepening the strategic partnership between Viet Nam and India.

In reply, Foreign Minister Khurshid described Party General Secretary Trong’s visit as a milestone in the two countries’ relationship, creating momentum to further their bilateral cooperation, especially in economics, trade, investment, defence and security.