Indian Ambassador’s Remarks at VINATOM 2024 Summary Conference
Deputy Minister of Science & Technology, H.E. Le Xuan Dinh, former Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Nguyen Quan
President of VINATOM, Mr. Tran Chi Thanh
Distinguished diplomatic colleagues, dear friends
Xin Chao, Good afternoon
My compliments to VINATOM on completing a significant year 2024, together with commendable strides by Vietnam as a nation. The completion of 40 years of Dalat Nuclear Rector that I visited, national plans for a new research reactor (CNST) as well as renewal of nuclear power generation program represent truly a new period for VINATOM, and Vietnam’s harnessing of nuclear energy for nation’s growth and prosperity.
As a strong believer in the role of science and technology for a country’s developmental rise, I wish Vietnam success in this new dynamism to utilize nuclear energy more widely in the future. India as a country has gone through a similar path of using nuclear energy extensively for nation’s benefit, and therefore we appreciate and welcome these efforts by Vietnam.
I sometimes see a parallel between Vietnam’s Vision 2045 and Developed India @ 2047, particularly similarities in our enhanced use of technology and innovation for sustained, rapid growth of the two countries in the next couple of decades. During the India-Vietnam Prime Minister-level Summit Joint Statement in August 2024 four months ago, the two countries recognized bilateral cooperation in the field of peaceful uses of atomic energy and agreed to intensify further cooperation pursuant to the last bilateral joint committee meeting on atomic energy.
Earlier this year in September, we had good discussions between Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission of India and VINATOM leadership in Vienna. Our current cooperation includes use of radio-isotopes for medical purposes, training programmes/ workshops in India and research-related exchanges.
Vietnam is well aware of the range of Indian indigenous capabilities in the field of nuclear energy from power generation to related research & engineering, societal applications of nuclear technology for healthcare, especially cancer treatment, food irradiation, industrial uses, radio-pharmaceuticals, agricultural research, minerals including rare-earths and material science, education & training and so on. Our present 8200 Mega Watt installed nuclear power capacity is expanding rapidly, driven by 700 Mega Watt indigenous pressurized heavy water reactors. We remain ready to collaborate further with Vietnam based on its interests and priorities, about which we heard little more today and will engage with VINATOM further in this direction.
Let me commend VINATOM and atomic energy science community in Vietnam again on a promising path being paved for its growth in the future and convey our best wishes for their success in this direction.
Xin Cam On.
