Academicians brainstorm strategies to strengthen Indo-Vietnam ties, from strong to stronger

India and Vietnam relations have been exceptionally friendly since their foundations were laid by founding fathers of the two countries – President Ho Chi Minh and President Rajendra Prasad as well as Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru. Both the countries have been sharing a robust diplomatic relationship rooted in historical and cultural ties. Bilateral cooperation spans diverse sectors, including trade, defense, and education. Both nations collaborate closely on regional and global issues, fostering mutual understanding and strengthening ties in the pursuit of common economic and strategic interests.

Therefore, reflecting on this long-term bond between the two countries while discussing various strategies on how to strengthen the tie further, Apeejay School of Management (ASM), Dwarka, recently organised a symposium on “Indo-Vietnam Foreign Trade and Business”. 

Sponsored by Confab 360 Degree, an educational and research platform that facilitates the exchange of expert perspectives and ideas, the one-day symposium was attended by academicians from Vietnam National University, Hanoi along with peers from renowned universities and colleges in India. 

The special guests for the symposium from Vietnam were Associate Professor Vu Thanh Huong  (Vice Dean), University of Economics and Business, Vietnam National University;  Dr Nguyen Thi Nhu Ai (Lecturer)  University of Economics and Business, Vietnam National University; MSc.Tran Thi Thao (Lecturer) University of Transport and Communication, Vietnam National University; MSc GTran Duc Anh (Lecturer) Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment; MSc. Do Thi Minh Hue (Lecturer)   University of Economics and Business; MSc Tran Huonh Linh (Lecturer)  University of Economics and Business;  MSc. Vu Thien Bach (Lecturer)   University of Economics and Business.

On a chilly winter morning, the academicians from Vietnam were warmly welcomed by Dr. Etinder Pal Singh, Dy. Director at ASM; Dr. Usha Ravi, Deputy Registrar, ASM, Dr. Ishita Adhikari, Associate Professor, ASM along with other faculty members.    

The guests were then taken around for a campus tour by Prof Anuj Kumar, Assistant Professor at ASM and Dr. Ranjit Kaur, Assistant Professor, ASM. 

Organised by the event convenors Prof Anuj Kumar and Dr. Pragya Arya, Assistant Professor, ASM, the symposium commenced successfully with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. 

Welcoming the audience, Dr Etinder Pal Singh addressed the gathering while taking them through the legacy of Apeejay. In his welcome speech, he expressed gratitude to the revered guests from various institutions as well as event sponsors. “We endeavour a culture of excellence and look forward to fostering several international partnerships. This symposium is a testament of how India and Vietnam are closely related, opening many doors for jobs and education,”  he highlighted.  

Subsequently,  Prof. Anuj Kumar presented the opening remarks during which he mentioned how the journey for the symposium began. It was when Associate Professor Vu Thanh Huong  (Vice Dean), University of Economics and Business, Vietnam National University contacted Prof Kumar. “With the support of Etinder sir and motivation from all the team members, we could organise this symposium in a short span of time,” he emphasised. 

The audience was then taken on a tour to the Vietnam National University in Hanoi via videos that were played in the auditorium. The videos showcased the University’s campus culture, celebrations, activities including art and sports and so on.

This was followed by the keynote address by Associate Professor Vu Thanh Huong. She expressed, “It is our pleasure to be part of the symposium today at Apeejay School of Management. We enjoyed the campus tour so much.”

Professor Vu Thanh Huong further highlighted the achievement of the Vietnam National University and mentioned how  they look forward to conducting more and more exchange programmes for students and faculty members. She also highlighted, “Vietnam wants to learn about the IT sector from India.” 

Further to Professor Vu Thanh Huong address, Dr. Nishu Ayedee, Founder and CMO of Confab 360 Degree, who was the sponsor for the event, addressed the audience.  She said, “I believe in two pillars for success, collaboration and quality. It’s a wonderful opportunity for a sponsor to be where two different countries come together and they discuss how we can collaborate, which is win-win and fruitful. I am  proud to be associated with ASM. In fact, all the universities across the globe play a pivotal part.” 

She further urged that India is facing shortage of teachers and how Confab is playing a pivotal role in bridging this gap. 

The symposium also featured two engaging prestations. The first one was delivered by MSc.Tran Thi Thao (Lecturer) University of Transport and Communication, Vietnam National University on Vietnam’s agriculture supply chain for export and logistics issues.

The lecturer shared key insights from the supply chain in Vietnam and overview of Vietnam agriculture, export of key agricultural products to India and logistics related issues. She also  highlighted how research agriculture is very popular and researchers are interested in this topic. 

The second presentation was on  Determinants of Vietnam’s exports of coffee that was delivered by MSc. Do Thi Minh Hue, Lecturer, University of Economics and Business.

She narrated the history of Vietnamese coffee. In her presentation, she highlighted, “Coffee production volume has increased more than 100 times in 35 years after 1986, from 18,400 (1986) tons to 1.85 million tons in (2021). Around 90-95% volume has been exported each year.” She also mentioned that India is a big market for Vietnam. 

This was followed by a panel discussion that was moderated by Dr. Ishita Adhikari. The engrossing session ended with a Q&A session. Concluding the symposium,  Prof Anuj Kumar,extended the vote of thanks which was followed by a group photograph.