India and Vietnam Strengthen Cultural and Spiritual Ties

Sharing the details in a post on X, he said, "Delighted to meet and interact with Nguyen Dinh Khang, Minister of Ethnic & Religious Affairs of Vietnam, at Parliament House, New Delhi, along with other esteemed officials. Our interaction reflected the shared commitment of India & Vietnam to further strengthen cultural, religious & people-to-people ties, deepening the enduring friendship between our nations."

India and Vietnam continue to deepen ties across all fronts.

The Joint Statement issued today after the meeting between PM Modi and Vietnam's President To Lam, to India highlighted how, on the front of culture, tourism cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, Vietnam expressed deep appreciation for India's gesture in sending the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha to Viet Nam for exposition during May-June 2025. The leaders recognised that the profound response of the Vietnamese people to the Holy Relics reflected deep civilizational bonds, shared spiritual heritage and enduring friendship between the two countries.

"The leaders acknowledged that tourism is a key driver of people-to-people ties and economic growth. They welcomed the signing of the MoU on Cooperation in the field of Tourism and decided to encourage the growth of two-way tourism in a sustainable and inclusive manner, including cultural and heritage, medical and wellness tourism, among others. Prime Minister Modi invited Viet Nam's tourists and pilgrims to visit the Buddhist Circuit in India. Welcoming the increase in direct flights between the two countries, they encouraged their civil aviation authorities to discuss enhancing air connectivity", the joint statement said.

PM Modi and President To Lam had welcomed the signing of the Cultural Exchange Programme for 2026 - 2030 and agreed to further promote cultural exchanges and people-to-people links.

Underlining the deep civilizational bonds between the two countries, the leaders encouraged greater exchange of Buddhist scholars, monks, pilgrims and students.

"Vietnam appreciated India's commitment to the preservation of My Son UNESCO World Heritage Site and the restoration and conservation work done by the Archaeological Survey of India in the A, H and K Blocks, as well as the ongoing work in the E & F Blocks, and the Nhan Tower project in Dak Lak province of Vietnam", the statement said.

It highlighted how India appreciated Viet Nam's support for the annual organisation of the International Day of Yoga in a large number of Vietnamese cities and provinces. The leaders expressed support for greater cooperation among yoga institutions of the two countries. They also agreed to enhance cultural exchanges between the two countries and to establish ICCR Chairs of India Studies in Da Nang University and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

The leaders welcomed the signing of an MoU on the Establishment of Friendship and Cooperation between Mumbai and Ho Chi Minh City and encouraged such cooperation and connectivity.

The two sides stressed the importance of cooperation in the field of mobility of human resources. Both sides welcomed the establishment of a Consular Dialogue to address issues of mutual interest, including the facilitation of labour market mobility, the joint statement noted.

- ANI