Co-operation with India to stay strong   Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and his Indian counterpart Salman Khurshid.-VNA/VNS Photo NEW DELHI (VNS)- Viet Nam and India would maintain the exchange of all-level delegations and uphold the role of existing co-operation mechanisms like political consultation and strategic dialogue to lay a strong political foundation for comprehensive co-operation. This was reaffirmed by two countries' foreign ministers during the Viet Nam-India Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic and Science-Technology Co-operation which convened its 15th meeting in New Delhi yesterday. The meeting was presided over by Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh who is paying an official visit to India from July 10-12 and his Indian counterpart Salman Khurshid. The two sides expressed their delight at the positive development of the bilateral strategic partnership in key areas like politics, economics, national defence and security, science and technology, culture and education. They agreed to promptly establish a Joint Sub-Committee on Trade and lift two-way trade to US$7 billion by 2015. The Indian side pledged to facilitate Vietnamese investment in fields of its strength like hi-tech and software development, information technology training, oil and gas, power production, industry, chemicals, construction and animal feed processing. It also committed more preferential credit to Viet Nam. Minh affirmed that Viet Nam would make it easier for Indian companies to work in the country. The two foreign ministers consented to enhance co-operation in defence - one of the important pillars in the bilateral strategic partnership - including human resources training, defence industry, experience sharing to fight against terrorism, hi-tech and drug crimes, and engagement in the United Nations peace-keeping mission. In education and training, they vowed to cement bilateral links by upholding the role of the joint working group in this field, and cultural co-operation and exchanges. The Indian side promised to offer more scholarships to Viet Nam and enhance the exchange of lecturers. Both host and guest committed to facilitating the opening of a direct air route between the two nations, as well as to encourage people-to-people exchanges and tourism development. They also agreed to boost connectivity via road and waterways. They made it clear that both sides would work closely together at regional and global forums. The Vietnamese side thanked India for backing its bid for a seat at the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 tenure and the International Hydrographic Organisation. Viet Nam also expressed its strong support for India 's Look East policy and its willingness to bolster co-operation between India and regional countries, as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Referring to the East Sea issue, India stressed its support for maritime freedom, security and safety in the East Sea, and said it backed relevant countries in the settlement of disputes by peaceful means in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the early establishment of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). During Minh's visit to India, the two nations inked the 2013-2015 Action Plan to enhance co-operation in trade, investment, finance, education-training, science-technology, energy, oil and gas, and agriculture. A Vietnamese Finance Ministry representative signed an agreement on the provision of preferential credit worth US$19.5 million for Viet Nam with the Export-Import Bank of India (Eximbank). The Joint Committee with convene its 16th meeting in Viet Nam in 2015. - VNS