Indian National Day & India-Vietnam Strategic Partnership
Today is the culmination of India's long-standing celebration of 75 years of independence called "Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav" meaning the magical flow of freedom. It has been a monumental journey from the diverse challenges faced by a newly independent nation in 1947 to India today. It is about celebrating our growth demonstrated through the country's rising role as today's fifth largest economy; through technological advances in fields such as information and communications, space, nuclear energy, and defense; industrial advances in various fields; through the construction of infrastructure and socio-economic development of a country with a population of 1.43 billion - the largest in the world; through our 34 million fellow Indians across the globe who are excelling in all areas of life and through our global standing.
To date, India's achievements have been linked to transformational changes and promising trends in economic growth, national developments, and unique public digital infrastructure. innovation and effective e-governance as well as contributions to global development. Last month, the IMF raised India's economic growth for 2023 to 6.1% (up 0.2% from the IMF's April 2023 estimate) amid moderate global growth. must at the same time UNDP's Multidimensional Poverty Index has shown significant reductions in India over the 15 years to 2021 and lifted 415 million people out of poverty. India's IT exports exceed $200 billion and this year we launched our 6G telecom vision and tested 6G research and development. Next week India's indigenous spacecraft is expected to land at the moon's south pole in its third lunar mission after being launched from earth a month ago.
This year, India is navigating pressing global issues with clear goals as G20 Chair in the context of a complex international environment. India's outreach to the Voice of the Global South through the Summit in January 2023 demonstrates our consultative approach to chairing the G20. We are also pleased that the President of Vietnam participated in the leadership session of this Conference chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In 2022-23, we celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between India and Vietnam but the enduring friendship and solidarity between the two sides began several decades before the formalization of foreign relations. our mission in 1972 thanks to the ingenious leadership of President Ho Chi Minh. Over the past seven decades, the two countries have been on the path of national growth and development and while the international situation has continuously changed, the India-Vietnam friendship has also continuously been strengthened despite these changes. and was upgraded to "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" in 2016. The right development path of India and Vietnam is marked by the strength of national identities, emotions and aspirations of the two peoples. countries as well as the similarity of our international views and interests, and I am confident of a brighter, stronger future of friendship and cooperation between us.
Our multifaceted cooperation is guided by the India-Vietnam shared vision 2020 for cooperation for peace, prosperity and people. 2023 will witness a meeting between two Prime Ministers, two Foreign Ministers, bilateral visits by Ministers of Defense, Public Security, Agriculture & Rural Development, Justice, or a visit by the President. Indian Council for Cultural Relations, leaders of several provinces, Deputy Ministers of ministries and other senior officials. Strategic political trust has supported active defense exchanges, service dialogues, exercises, training, equipment transfers and a series of technical exchanges between us. We work together at the United Nations, at ASEAN-centric forums and various international mechanisms to promote multilateralism, international law and the rules-based order, as well as prospects for peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
As two rapidly developing countries, economic and business cooperation is the focus of active efforts to further increase the 2022 bilateral trade turnover of 15 billion USD and India's total investment. About 2 billion USD. Hundreds of Indian businesses in Vietnam are creating economic value in areas such as consumer goods, auto components, sugar and coffee, information technology services, mineral processing, oil and gas, garments, goods and technical services such as aviation, banking, food, tourism. New opportunities are emerging in energy, infrastructure, electronics & digital technology and agreements facilitate trade, bilateral digital payments, transport live is also being discussed. The 2009 ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement is being reviewed to expand preferential trade measures between us. Civil aviation is helping to improve mobility and tourism through more than 50 flights per week and plans to increase flights in the future.
The civilized and cultural relationship and the warmth and respect that the two peoples have for each other is a special feature of the India-Vietnam friendship. While the shared legacy of Buddha Shakyamuni laid the spiritual foundation for both sides, last year the Archaeological Survey of India also completed the restoration of three groups of temples dating back to 13th century at My Son Sanctuary in central Vietnam. This year's performance to celebrate International Yoga Day was held in 35 localities across Vietnam with tens of thousands of participants. Each year Vietnam also receives ten sponsored projects to serve communities in different provinces and cities. Cultural, educational & training exchange delegations, active contacts between our academic institutions also help enrich people-to-people exchanges between the two sides.
Today as we celebrate the festival of freedom in India, we also look forward to working closely with Vietnam to achieve further positive progress in our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. us in all fields.
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