Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary Welcomes Vietnam President To Lam in Gayaji

The Chief Minister noted that the visit would serve to "strengthen the bilateral relations" between the two countries. Sharing his remarks on social media platform X, Choudhary stated, "We extended a warm welcome and hearty greetings to the President of Vietnam, To Lam, upon his arrival in Gayaji -- a city steeped in spirituality, culture, and heritage."

He further observed that the "historic visit will undoubtedly elevate the deep-rooted ties between India and Vietnam to new heights."

President To Lam, who is also the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, is scheduled to remain in the country until May 7. This trip represents his inaugural visit to India since being elected as President earlier this month.

According to the official itinerary, the Vietnamese leader will be accorded a "ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan" on May 6. This will be followed by high-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where the two leaders will hold "wide-ranging discussions with President To Lam across the spectrum of bilateral relations," alongside deliberations on "regional and global issues of mutual interest."

President Droupadi Murmu is also slated to meet with the visiting dignitary, while several other senior leaders are expected to call on him. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that President To Lam's schedule includes visits to Bodh Gaya and Mumbai.

The MEA emphasised that these high-level engagements will provide "fresh momentum to the robust bilateral relations" and "open new avenues for cooperation between India and Vietnam."

The visit follows a message from Prime Minister Modi on April 7, in which he congratulated To Lam on his election and expressed his readiness to "further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" between the two nations.

At the time, the Prime Minister posted on X, "Heartiest congratulations to Mr To Lam on his election as President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. I am confident that under his leadership, the time-tested friendship between our two countries will continue to grow from strength to strength. I look forward to working closely together to further deepen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the progress and prosperity of our people and the region."

The MEA noted that India and Vietnam share "historical and civilisational ties" that have consistently strengthened over time. This visit is particularly significant as it marks the "10th anniversary of the elevation of relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," a status established during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Vietnam in 2016.

- ANI