Hanoi: Friends and admirers of India and its first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru have gathered in Hanoi to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the historic meeting between the late Indian leader and Vietnam's hero Ho Chi Minh.

External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Dzy Nien will attend a seminar organised by the Institute for International Relations, of Vietnam's Foreign Ministry, tomorrow (Oct 17, 2004) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the landmark meeting between Nehru and Ho Chi Minh.

Nehru had arrived in Hanoi on October 17, 1954 exactly seven days after the liberation of Vietnam. His visit cemented the long and traditional friendship between the two countries.

The External Affairs Minister, during his three-day official visit to Vietnam, will also head the Joint Commission meeting between the two countries on Monday (Oct 11, 2004).

Senior officials from both the countries met over the last two days to review and plan ways to further increase cooperation and trade between New Delhi and Hanoi.

They discussed the entire gamut of trade ties, including further scope of cooperation in agriculture, Science and Technology and IT.

During former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to Vietnam, India had extended a grant of Rs 100 million for setting up the Advanced Resources Centre in IT in Hanoi.

"The project is starting now and Vietnam has agreed to provide the building while India will train their faculty," an official said.