New Delhi, May 13 (KNN) The Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu has urged Vietnam to support entry of Indian pharmaceutical firms.

Seeking Vietnam Prime Minister’s personal intervention in facilitating the entry of Indian pharmaceutical products into their country, the Vice President assured him that the Indian companies can provide high tech health systems and medicines for public health in Vietnam at an affordable cost.

This will make health services more affordable and reduce the insurance burden on the Government of Vietnam, he added.

On the penultimate day of his four-day official visit to Vietnam, Naidu continued his high-level engagement by holding talks in with Vietnam’s Prime Minister, Nguyen Xuan Phuc on a wide range of issues and underscored the importance of strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations to ensure peace and security in the region.

Observing that Indian companies were increasingly looking to invest in emerging sectors like renewable energy and energy conservation, infrastructure, agriculture, agro-products, textiles, pharma and oil and gas, Naidu informed  Phuc of India's commitment to address various issues related to market access and trade barriers.

Both leaders said economic and trade ties remain a pillar in bilateral relations and agreed to work to lift two-way trade value to US$15 billion. They consented to consider opening the Indian market for Việt Nam’s longan, grapefruit, rambutan and durian, and allowing India’s pomegranate, grapes and millet to enter Việt Nam.

The leaders highlighted the need for intensifying collaboration in other fields such as development co-operation, information technology, science-technology, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

They pledged to create favourable conditions for Vietjet, Indigo and other airlines to soon launch direct air routes connecting the two nations.

On bilateral trade, Naidu expressed confidence of achieving the target of USD 15 billion by 2020.