A meeting to celebrate Vietnam's 60^th National Day was jointly held in India by the All-India Peace and Solidarity Organisation and the India-Vietnam Friendship Association on August 25.

Sitaram Yechouri, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI - M) Central Committee and D. Raja, Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) Central Committee, were present at the meeting.

Also present was Vietnamese Ambassador to India Tran Trong Khanh.

Addressing the meeting, Ambassador Khanh reviewed the achievements recorded by the Vietnamese people in the past 60 years under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam headed by the late President Ho Chi Minh.

He expressed the Vietnamese government and people's thanks to India for its assistance and support to Vietnam's past struggle for national independence as well as national construction at present. The Vietnamese diplomat also expressed his hope for further development of the friendship between the two countries.

Speaking at the ceremony, Indian friends praised the Vietnamese people's efforts during the past struggle to gain national independence and current national construction, as well as Vietnam's contribution to global peace.

Mr Sitaram Yechoori said the struggle by the Vietnamese for their national independence in the past had encouraged the movements for national independence and anti-imperialism in the world, including India. He stressed that Vietnam with its achievements in the present socio-economic development has set an example for other countries to follow. (VNA)