Speaking atthe occasion, Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Parvathaneni Harish said the eventis the Indian Government’s flagship programme for its development partnercountries, initiated in 1970.
The diplomataffirmed that Vietnam is an important partner to India in Southeast Asia,noting that the Mekong Delta and its economic hub Can Tho, which both boastpotential for extensive cooperation, are receiving significant attention frominvestors and businesses.
Harish saidhe expects that public personnel in the region due to receive ITEC scholarshipswill be equipped with the necessary professional skills and a long-term visionon socio-economic development amidst global integration, and as such will go onto contribute to Vietnam’s national construction and the implementation of its diplomaticgoals with foreign countries, including India.
He saidIndia is looking forward to the cooperation in telecommunications, andinformation and communications technology with Can Tho reaching its fullpotential.
He added thatIndia and Can Tho can push for collaboration through increasing information andexperience exchange between their public management agencies and enterprises.
Accordingto the ambassador, India hopes for the effective implementation of digitalconnectivity projects with Can Tho in terms of experience exchange on buildingpolicy and legal regulations on post and telecommunications management;coordination to build training programmes in the field; and delegationexchanges to share experience and build partnerships between Vietnamese andIndian telecom firms, among others.
WelcomingIndia’s cooperation goodwill, Chairman of the Can Tho People’s Committee VoThanh Thong expressed his expectation that the embassy will create morefavorable conditions for his city and other Mekong Delta localities to obtainscholarships from India, contributing to boosting the Vietnam-Indiacomprehensive strategic partnership.
Thongpledged to facilitate Indian businesses in joining local IT programmes andprojects with a belief that the group, with strengths in capital, experience,and technologies, will find plentiful cooperation and investment opportunitiesin the city.
Vietnamreceives 150 ITEC scholarships annually, the highest number among recipient nations.The programme targets public personnel aged between 25 and 45, with at least 5years work experience and who have never been sponsored to study in Indiabefore.
Currently, under theprogramme, Vietnamese students are studying across 60 educationalestablishments in India, which offer over 300 short-term courses on businessmanagement and rural development, among others. –VNA