New Delhi, June 3: Thongsavan Phomvihane, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, met with President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday.
During his first visit to India, President Murmu welcomed Phomvihane, highlighting the deep civilizational ties between India and Laos, reflected in their shared heritage of Buddhism and the Ramayana. This year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, a significant milestone in their bilateral relationship.
President Murmu noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Laos in October 2024 to attend ASEAN-related summits, during which several agreements were signed, giving new momentum to their cooperation.
She emphasized that while bilateral trade has increased, there remains substantial potential for further progress in both trade and investment sectors.
The President expressed India’s eagerness to enhance collaboration with Laos in areas such as Information and Communication Technology (ICT), health, medicine, agriculture, irrigation, manufacturing, renewable energy, and electricity. She also mentioned the willingness to share experiences in innovation and knowledge-based economies.
Murmu was pleased to learn that the development partnership between the two countries has strengthened, focusing on the aspirations of Laos’ youth and the socio-economic development needs of the nation.
Both leaders agreed that closer cooperation between their countries could greatly benefit their peoples.
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