Laos Deputy PM Phomvihane calls on President Murmu; both sides eye deeper trade, tech ties
New Delhi, June 3
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Laos, Thongsavan Phomvihane, who is currently on an official visit to India, called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday, with both sides underlining the scope for deeper cooperation in trade, investment and technology.
Welcoming Phomvihane on his first visit to India, President Murmu said that India and Laos share close civilisational ties, reflected in the common heritage of Buddhism and the Ramayana.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which the President called a "significant milestone" in the bilateral relationship.
According to an official release, the President noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Laos in October 2024 to participate in the ASEAN-related Summits, and several agreements were concluded during that visit, giving "fresh momentum" to bilateral cooperation.
On trade, the President said bilateral trade between India and Laos has grown, but added that "there remains considerable scope for us to make further progress together in both trade and investment."
President Murmu said India would be happy to expand cooperation with Lao PDR in areas such as information and communication technology (ICT), health, medicine, agriculture, irrigation, manufacturing, renewable energy, and electricity.
"We are also keen to share our experiences in the fields of innovation and the knowledge-based economy," she said.
The President expressed happiness that the development partnership between the two countries has become stronger and is aligned with the aspirations of Lao youth and the country's socio-economic development needs.
The two leaders agreed that close cooperation between India and Lao PDR can bring immense benefits to the peoples of both countries, according to the release.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan also shared the details of the meeting in a post on X, stating that "The President noted that our countries share close civilizational ties, reflected in our common heritage of Buddhism and the Ramayana. She said that the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations is a significant milestone in India-Lao PDR bilateral ties."
Phomvihane arrived in India on June 1, and his visit continues until June 3.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, it's nice that we are engaging with smaller nations like Laos. But I hope our government doesn't just do photo-ops and sign vague agreements. We need concrete results — more Indian exports, more scholarships for Lao students, and actual technology transfer. Let's see if this visit yields anything tangible.
The mention of shared Ramayana heritage is so beautiful! In Laos, the Ramayana is known as 'Phra Lak Phra Lam' and is a part of their culture. India should leverage this soft power more. Also, glad to see focus on renewable energy cooperation — Laos has huge hydro potential and we need clean energy partners. 🌏⚡
Interesting to see India focus on a country like Laos. Given China's massive influence in Southeast Asia through BRI, it makes strategic sense for India to deepen ties with ASEAN members. The tech and innovation cooperation angle is smart — India's startup ecosystem could really help Laos leapfrog in digital infrastructure.
70 years of diplomatic relations is indeed a milestone! But I wish our media would cover such visits more — it's not all about big powers, building relationships with smaller neighbours is equally important. The fact that PM Modi went to Laos for ASEAN summits last year shows consistent engagement. Good diplomatic work. 👏
While this is all positive, I worry that India's development partnership model is too grant-heavy and not enough private sector led. Laos needs jobs and infrastructure — can Indian companies actually compete with Chinese firms there? Hope the 'Make in India' push extends to these markets.
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