Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is set to commence a three-day state visit to India today, July 30, at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit, which will conclude on August 1, aims to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.

PM Chinh will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including several ministers, deputy ministers, and business leaders, according to a statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The visit’s itinerary includes a ceremonial welcome for PM Chinh at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan, followed by a visit to Raj Ghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. The Vietnamese leader is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with PM Modi, who will also host a luncheon in his honor.

Additionally, PM Chinh is expected to meet with Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is also slated to call on the visiting Prime Minister.

This visit comes shortly after high-level Indian officials paid their respects to the late General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Nguyen Phu Trong. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval represented India at the state funeral in Hanoi last Thursday, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the Vietnam Embassy in India to express condolences.

Simultaneously, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the Vietnam Embassy in India to express his condolences on behalf of the Indian government and people.

India and Vietnam have age-old historical and civilizational ties, which were elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership during the visit of PM Modi to Vietnam in September 2016.

Furthermore, India considers Vietnam a key pillar of its Act East Policy and an important partner in its Indo-Pacific vision.

(Inputs from ANI)