Ties with Vietnam important for India: Modi

New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said Vietnam ranked high in India’s relations with the Asia-Pacific region, saying the two countries have had ancient ties.

Modi told the media that his government had, after taking office in May, “quickly increased our engagement in the Asia-Pacific region as this area is very important to India”.

Vietnam, Modi added, had been accorded high priority in the region.

Modi was speaking in the presence of his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung.

Saying this was the Vietnamese leader’s third visit to India, Modi described it as the former’s desire for strong relations with New Delhi.

“India and Vietnam have ancient spiritual relations,” Modi added.