Vietnam appoints first Consul General, eyes Bangalore opportunity

NEW DELHI: As India-Vietnam ties deepen, Hanoi has decided to expand its diplomatic footprint in India by appointing Honorary Consul General in Bangalore.

In an elegant ceremony at a hotel in Delhi on July 9, Vietnamese Ambassador in India Pham Sanh Chau announced the selection of industrialist N.S. Srinivasa Murthy Honorary Counsel General of Vietnam for Karnataka. “He is the first Honorary Counsel General of Vietnam from India and the 19th across the world. He is the third Counsel General to be appointed globally this year,” the Vietnamese envoy told a select gathering amid COVID protocols.

The envoy said that Vietnam is looking for honorary counsel generals for five States and this was the first one approved. He stressed that this is a very serious decision by the government of Vietnam to find a person who can represent well the image of Vietnam in Bengaluru and then help to protect the interest of Vietnamese nationals as well as companies. The Honorary Counsel General will help promote trade, economics, investment, tourism, educational and cultural cooperation between Vietnam and Karnataka.

Outlining his plans for upscaling India-Vietnam ties, the Vietnamese envoy said that his country is looking to start a direct flight between Bangalore and Vietnam and is looking at Bangalore as a hub for cutting-edge technology for Vietnam.

Mr. Murthy, the newly-appointed Honorary Consul General, said that he will strive to improve the national branding of Vietnam in all spheres and work to enhance trade between Vietnam and Karnataka.

“The appointment of the first Honorary Counsul General in India by Vietnam highlights Hanoi’s interest in deepening and diversifying relations with a strategic partner and the world’s fifth largest economy. It also underlies a new state-driven approach by Vietnam to expand its footprints in India,” said Manish Chand, Editor-in-Chief, India Writes Network and India and The World magazine, who attended the ceremony.

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