New Delhi (VNA) - Politburo member, President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA), and Chairman of the Central Theory Council Nguyen Xuan Thang paid a working visit to India from November 11-13.

Thang paid a courtesy call to Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (upper house) Jagdeep Dhankhar, and met with National General Secretary of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tarun Chugh, Interim Co-ordinator of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Prakash Karat, and General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) D. Raja.

During these meetings, both sides updated each other on the current situation in their respective parties and countries, discussed international and regional issues of mutual interest, and shared views on major directions and policies, contributing to further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and India.

Jagdeep Dhankhar appreciated the priority given by Vietnam to fostering and deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Leaders of India's political parties affirmed the importance they attach to the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam. They praised the Southeast Asian nation's achievements in economic development and foreign relations during its Doi Moi (Renewal) period, particularly its success in poverty reduction, and social welfare policies, making Vietnam a model for India, a country with more than 1.4 billion people and significant disparities in wealth and social inequality, to follow.

Indian Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh affirmed that as part of its "Act East" policy, India places great importance on its relationship with Vietnam and recognises the significant role and position of the country in the region. They expressed strong support for resolving disputes in the East Sea through peaceful means based on international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.

Both leaders highlighted that the continuous high-level exchanges and visits between the two countries, and the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016 have brought tangible benefits to the people of both nations, and contributed to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the Asia-Pacific region and in the world.

Thang appreciated India's increasingly significant role in the current regional and global security architecture, recognising India as a superpower in science, technology, and economy.

The two sides also discussed cooperation in security and defence, as well as several key areas of bilateral collaboration.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese official witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on c♏ooperation between the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and the Indian Institute of Public Administration./.