Vietnamese Global Investment signs the MoU with Indian Spatial Decision Vietnam in an the interactive meeting. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Vietnamese and Indian enterprises gathered in thecapital city of Hanoi on October 8 to discuss ways to develop smartcities in Vietnam.
Promotingcooperation between Vietnam and India in the field of Information and CommunicationTechnology (ICT), the Embassy of India in coordination with Vietnam’sAssociation of Foreign Invested Enterprises (VAFIE) organisedthe interactive meeting to connect businesses.
Inrecent meetings, the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) hascontinued to define smart cities as the basic driving force for socio-economicdevelopment across the country, with more than 830 urban areas withan urbanisation rate of 38.6 percent.
Economicgrowth in urban areas was between 12 and 15 percent, about double the nationalaverage, so the designs of old cities were out of date, said arepresentative from the Urban Development Agency under the Ministry ofConstruction.
About30 cities and provinces nationwide, including HCM City and Hanoi, had implementedsmart urban construction projects, meaning the current development of smartcities was still inadequate.
Somelocalities had started deploying some basic applications and services forsmart cities. Meanwhile, ministries and agencies were continuing toresearch and complete building guidelines, mechanisms and policies for smartcities.
ConsideringIndia a good destination for smart solutions and competitive prices,VAFIE’s Vice Chairman Nguyen Anh Tuan said: “The meeting provides chancesfor Vietnam and local enterprises to find suitable partners and solutionsto develop smart cities and smart services.”
Accordingto the Indian Embassy in Hanoi, India launched its flagship programme ‘DigitalIndia’ in 2015 with a vision to transform India into a digitally empoweredsociety and knowledge-based economy. This programme centered on the vision ofoffering digital infrastructure as a core utility to every citizen, providinggovernance and services on demand, and enabling the digital empowerment of citizens.
AmbassadorPranay Verma said: “Over the years, IT and ITS have emerged to be a promisingarea for co-operation between India and Vietnam. Many Indian IT companies havealso established their presence in Vietnam to provide IT training, solutionsand services, especially in banking, telecoms and cyber security.”
Theambassador told Vietnam News:“While the whole world confronts destruction from the COVID-19 pandemic,information and communication technology has emerged as an effective tool forgovernance, fintech, education, business, office work and social connections.”
SeeingVietnam has emerged to be among the key players in ASEAN in the ICT sector, headded: “Some Indian start-ups have established their presence in Vietnam intravel technology and financial technology.”
“Vietnamhas high quality ICT human resources and high tech facilities, the combinationwith India with better experience of smart cities will bring the best benefitfor both sides,” said a representative of the Indian Business Chamber in Vietnam.
Accordingto VAFIE, the Vietnamese Government had approved the National DigitalTransformation programme to 2025 with an orientation to 2030, aiming toraise the digital economy’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) to 20 percentby 2025 and 30 percent by 2030 and bringing Vietnam into the top three digitalgovernments in ASEAN by 2030.
NiranjanSahoo, chief regional manager of Bharat Electronic Limited, said hisfirm was an Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company andhad extended smart city solutions across India.
Beingin Vietnam for two and a half years, the manager told Vietnam News: “Vietnam can not only developsmart cities but also smart villages in all parts of the country.”
TranCong Son, Vice Chairman of Tuan Chau Group, said with a series of hospitalityfacilities in Vietnam, the group sought smart solutions and tourismservices to better attract customers, giving them added value for theirtravels after the pandemic.
Attendingthe meeting, Son expected their Indian partners to help him build a VR and ARexperience on his 1,500ha resort in Tuan Chau Resort in Quang Ninh province,adding that: “There are more places that the group is investing in Vietnamwhich need smart solutions.”
VAFIE’sTuan, who also runs a global portal called Global Invest thatconnects local businesses with others, said VAFIE would work morewith both sides to help develop smart cities in Vietnam./.
VNA
