World News | EAM Jaishankar & Vietnamese Counterpart Son Jointly Unveil Commemorative Stamps to Celebrate 50 Years of Diplomatic Ties

Hanoi, Oct 16 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son on Monday jointly unveiled two commemorative stamps to celebrate 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Vietnam.

Jaishankar, who arrived here on a four-day official visit to Vietnam on Sunday, called on Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and conveyed the greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Earlier, he met his Vietnamese counterpart Son and discussed ways to boost cooperation in trade, energy, defence and maritime security while sharing perspectives on the Indo-Pacific.

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Issued jointly by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, India's Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian Embassy in Vietnam, and the Vietnam Post Corporation, the stamps aim to introduce the cultures of the two countries.

The set consists of two 43x32mm stamps depicting Vovinam and Kalarippayattu, the respective traditional martial arts of Vietnam and India, state-run Vietnam News Agency reported.

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They also feature an image of the combined flags of the two countries.

The stamp on Kalarippayattu was designed by Indian painter Brahma Prakash, while the one on Vovinam was by Vietnamese painter Pham Trung Ha, the report said.

"Jointly unveiled along with @FMBuiThanhSon the commemorative stamps celebrating 50 years of establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Vietnam," Jaishankar said in a post on X.

"Stamps depicting Kalaripayattu and Vovinam captures our shared affinity for sports and celebrates the strong cultural, social & people-to-people links between India and Vietnam," he added.

According to the Deputy Director of the MIC's Department of Posts, Hoang Bao Ngoc, launching the joint stamps was a meaningful activity marking the development of the Vietnam-India friendship, cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and comprehensive strategic partnership.

India and Vietnam officially set up diplomatic relations on January 7, 1972, and upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016, according to the report.

Jaishankar also met former Vietnamese foreign minister Nguyen Dy Nien during his visit to Hanoi.

"A memorable conversation with Nguyen Dy Nien, former Vietnamese Foreign Minister (2000-06). As a 1950s alumnus of BHU, his sentiments for India and Varanasi were truly moving," he said in a post on X.

From Vietnam, Jaishankar will travel to Singapore for a visit from October 19 to 20.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)