Within the framework of the State visit to India by General Secretary and President To Lam, HCMC and Mumbai officially exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a friendly and cooperative relationship, opening a new partnership between the two dynamic economic hubs of Vietnam and India.
On May 6, during the exchange ceremony for cooperation documents between Vietnamese and Indian ministries and agencies, HCMC Standing Vice Chairman Nguyen Loc Ha and Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai presented the MoU. The event was witnessed by General Secretary and President To Lam, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and high-ranking officials including HCMC Party Secretary Tran Luu Quang.
This milestone marks a significant step as the Vietnam-India relationship is upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
With this agreement, the number of foreign localities maintaining friendly relations with HCMC has risen to 88. Notably, Mumbai is the first Indian locality to establish such a partnership with HCMC, reflecting the city’s proactive role in international integration.
During the working trip, Standing Vice Chairman Nguyen Loc Ha also addressed a roundtable with Indian businesses organized by the World Trade Center Mumbai. He affirmed that HCMC is committed to providing favorable conditions for Indian investors, viewing their success as the city's own.
Additionally, the Vice Chairman held discussions with the Indian Chamber of Commerce in New Delhi regarding tourism, energy, and trade connectivity. He also met with the ACME Group to discuss renewable energy and a green ammonia project in Vietnam with a projected investment of US$9 to 10 billion, as well as meetings with GPS Renewables and SatyaGiri Group regarding waste-to-energy solutions and clean fuels.
Areas of cooperation outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding on establishing friendly and cooperative relations between Ho Chi Minh City and Mumbai include:
· Trade and investment
· Education and training
· Promotion of cultural diplomacy tied to tourism development, sports exchanges and entertainment activities, including cooperation among libraries, museums and sports sectors
· Urban planning and development
· Infrastructure development
· Urban sanitation and waste management
· Ecological and natural resource conservation
· Emergency response cooperation, including firefighting, search and rescue operations
· Green growth, sustainable development and digital transformation in the transport sector
· Provision of essential public services.
