SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA, SMT. PRATIBHA DEVISINGH PATIL, AT DINNER HOSTED BY CHAIRMAN OF HO CHI MINH CITY PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 24th November 2008

Your Excellency Chairman Le Hoang Quan, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am, indeed, overwhelmed by the warm welcome given to me and my delegation since our arrival in Vietnam. I am particularly happy to be in this great Ho Chi Minh City, which carries the name of the legendary leader of Vietnam, President Ho Chi Minh.

Excellency, our friendship is historical and traditional with deep cultural moorings dating back to centuries. The foundation of this friendship, which was laid by the leaders of our two countries, remains as solid as ever, amidst the changing world around. I am happy to note that in the current times too, our bilateral relations continue to be nurtured and developed, including through high level exchanges.

Excellency, we in India have sincerely admired the rapid economic progress made by Vietnam. In the rapid march of your country, Ho Chi Minh City has played a pivotal role and continues to be in the vanguard of Vietnam's march towards development. This province has also attracted many Indian investors. I would like to compliment you for your leadership and wish you ever greater success.

Excellency, we in India are also engaged in a similar process of major economic reforms and economic development of our country. Our policies have similarly produced good results. This provides new opportunities for the entrepreneurs, businessmen and industrialists from both countries to interact closely and avail of the emerging opportunities. An Indian business delegation is accompanying me and will be interacting with their business counterparts. We hope that this results in fruitful and productive outcomes.

Tomorrow, I will have an opportunity to visit the History Museum, which houses a rich treasure of the rich history of Vietnam. I will also witness the Water Puppet Show, which I am told is a unique facet of Vietnamese culture. I understand that Ho Chi Minh City has sister city relationships with cities like Osaka, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Toronto, San Francisco, Shanghai, Istanbul and Manila. We can also consider linking Mumbai and Ho Chi Minh City as sister cities. After all, both cities drive the economic engines in our fast growing nations.

Excellency, as our two nations stood by each other in the past, and as we stand now at the threshold of prosperity, it would be our endeavor to walk together, hand-in-hand, for future cooperation. There is immense possibility of further strengthening cooperation in diverse areas so that the strategic partnership between India and Vietnam continues to acquire ever greater strength.

May I now request you all to join me in a toast to: -

-- the health of Chairman Le Hoang Quan and of all present here tonight;

-- the ever growing friendship and cooperation between India and Vietnam; and

-- the prosperity and happiness of the people of Vietnam.

Thank you.