Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nguyen Quoc Dung, led a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to attend the 10th Delhi Dialogue.

The theme of this year's Delhi Dialogue is 'Strengthening India-ASEAN Maritime Co-operation'.

The event was attended by more than two hundred delegates, including ministers, officials and leaders of the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India, as well as scholars, researchers and related organizations and individuals, and the Chief Ministers of North Eastern states of India.

In her opening remarks, Preeti Saran, Secretary (East) of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs highlighted the importance of the dialogue in making policies and promoting the ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership, while affirming that India attaches great importance to ASEAN's role. India places ASEAN at the heart of the “Act East” policy and the center of its dream of an Asian century, she said.

Speaking at the Dialogue, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nguyen Quoc Dung, stressed that maritime connection is one of the important issues which ASEAN and India should take advantage of to further strengthen the economic and trade cooperation between the two sides. The diplomat expressed his hope that negotiations on the ASEAN-India maritime transport agreement would soon be concluded. Furthermore, ASEAN and India need to strengthen and develop their marine infrastructure.

He also highly appreciated the result of the second ASEAN-India Workshop on the Blue Economy, which took place in New Delhi on July 18.

The Delhi Dialogue is an annual dialogue to discuss politics, security, economics and culture-society issues between ASEAN and India.

Source: NDO