President Ho Chi Minh - The Person connecting Vietnamese - India Friendship

The ideological meeting between Ho Chi Minh and the Indian revolutionary leaders

President Ho Chi Minh was bỏn in Nam Dan district, downstream of Lam river, Nghe An province, the convergence of the unique cultural centers in the North Central region, and into a patriotic Confucian family in a countryside with rich cultural and revolutionary traditions. Throughout the history of building and defending the country, Nghe An has faced many challenges, devastated by the enemy, natural disasters, Nghe An  still stay courage through the pain, show resilience to loss, "A clean fast is better than a dirty breakfast"; "the land of the Rooster", "the land of Co Ke", "the hot pond of water". In our national history, various reat names inlcuding Mai Hac De, Ho Quy Ly, Nguyen Hue - Quang Trung, Nguyen Du, Ho Xuan Huong, Nguyen Cong Tru, Phan Dinh Phung, Phan Boi Chau, Nguyen Truong To .. were born or started from their careers and success here. In modern times, together with Ho Chi Minh, many excellent leaders of our Party such as Tran Phu, Le Hong Phong, Ha Huy Tap, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Phan Dang Luu, Le Hong Son, Pham Hong Thai, Ly Tu Trong, Ho Tung Mau, Nguyen Si Sach, are also excellent people of Hong Lam. The rich cultural traditions and strong patriotic spirit of the homeland are the foundation for Nguyen Ai Quoc on his journey to seek ways to save the country and the people.

 On the way to find a way to save the country, Nguyen Ai Quoc was immersed in the struggle movement of the working class and working people in Europe, Africa, America and Asia. With his intelligence, diligence, sensitivity to the newness, and the desire to find the right path to save the country and the people, Nguyen Ai Quoc has contacted, refined and accepted the progressive thoughts of the Western culture: Renaissance humanism, the age of Enlightenment’s idealism, democratic ideology, freedom, equality, charity of the French, English, American revolution ... He came to Marxism - Lenin, and brought his awareness of the way of national salvation to new heights: patriotism is deeply humanistic; national liberation went hand in hand with class liberation, social liberation, human liberation; Human appreciation is the decisive factor of history; the national revolution and democracy must develop into the socialist revolution; National strength must be associated with the power of the times; especially attaching importance to the role of "being the root", "being the owner" of the people, the great power to unite the whole nation. These are his very important contributions to Vietnamese cultural values and to humanity.

From Sen Village (Nam Dan, Nghe An), Ho Chi Minh joined the great struggle of his people and country; stretching out into the ocean to change from a true patriot to a true communist, a great culture of the East and the West. In 1923, the Soviet poet Mandenstan wrote about Nguyen Ai Quoc in Ogoniok Magazine, no. 39: “Nguyen Ai Quoc spreads a culture, not a European culture but perhaps the culture of future"[1]….

Is it true that the meeting between Ho Chi Minh and the leaders of the Indian people such as Gandhi, Molital Nehru, Jawaharlan Nehru, MN Roy ... is patriotism, human love, human liberation, national liberation and human liberation? Patriotism with deeply human content is the factor that connects the great peoples in Vietnam and India, is the basic foundation for the friendship between the two countries later on.

Ho Chi Minh and India

In 1921, with the pseudonym Nguyen Ai Quoc, he wrote "Revolutionary Movement in India", which praised the anti-British revolutionary spirit of the Indian people, and published in La Revue Communiste Magazine, No. 18 August 19, 1921. He asserted: “Since the uprising in 1857, the British Empire thought it had drowned the revolutionary spirit of the Indian people in the bloody persecution and permanently established the brutal oppression of the West. banks of the Ganges River. They made a big mistake”[2]. The article "Letters from India", published in Inprekorr (French), No. 28, March 17, 1928, under the pseudonym Wang, clearly showed the support for the real independence movement of Indian people. Also in 1928, under the pseudonym Wang, he wrote "The Worker Movement in India", published in Inprekorr Journal, No. 37, on April 14, 1928; and "Indian Farmers", published in Inprekorr Journal, No. 38, April 18, 1928; “The Recent Peasant Movement in India”, published in Inprekorr Journal, No. 43, May 1928[3]. Through his writings and articles, President Ho Chi Minh analyzed the spirit of the core forces and the people of India and showed the spirit of fierce and uncompromising anti-imperial struggle as well as the supporting spirit for the struggle of the colonial peoples against colonialism.

Ho Chi Minh and Jawaharlal Nehru (TTXVN)

In 1946, receiving news that the first Independent Indian Government was established, on behalf of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, President Ho Chi Minh sent a congratulatory message to the Indian leader J. Nehru. On the occasion of India's Independence Day (January 29, 1947), President Ho Chi Minh sent to Vice President of the Government of India J. Nehru: “In this remarkable day which is the Independence Day of India, we share our rejoicing with the people of India, and are very confident in the success of the Asian peoples in the fight for freedom and progress. I hope that the friendship between our two countries will be stronger so that we will soon see an era of prosperity, happiness and peace begin in Asia” [4].

The meeting of President Ho Chi Minh and Jawaharlal Nehru - India's first Prime Minister laid the foundation for the official relationship between the two countries. On October 17, 1954, Indian Prime Minister J. Nehru was the first foreign head of government to arrive in Hanoi after Hanoi was completely liberated. Responding to the Government and the people of India's noble affection for Vietnam, President Ho Chi Minh said: “On behalf of the people and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, thank Prime Minister J. Nehru, the people and the Government of India have greatly contributed to bringing peace to Vietnam and to Cambodia and Cambodia... making the friendship between the two peoples of Vietnam - India intensified and made to strengthen Asia and the world” [5].

Accepting the invitation of the Government of India, President Ho Chi Minh paid an official visit to India from December 4 to February 14, 1958. In his speech at the rally of the New Dehli people, President Ho Chi Minh continued to affirm: “The people of our two countries have had a brotherly relationship for a long time. Indian culture and Buddhism have been passed on to Vietnam since ancient times. Under colonial rule, the relations between our two countries were temporarily interrupted for a period of time. But the traditional friendship has always attached our two nations ... We happily find that in the common struggle for world peace, national independence, our peoples stand side by side together to pursue the common goals ..."[6]. President Ho Chi Minh's visit has left an indelible impression on the Indian people. He has captured the hearts of Indian people of all ages, all walks of life, by his graciousness, affection and humility.

In 1959, India’s first President H.E.Mr. Rajendra Prasad visited Vietnam at the invitation of President Ho Chi Minh. President Rajendra Prasad with President Ho Chi Minh planted a bodhi tree - a symbol of Buddhist enlightenment - at Tran Quoc Pagoda. During this period, India - as a member of the International Control Commission for Vietnam (ICC) - expressed concern about the airstrike in Northern Vietnam in February, 1965. In 1966, Indian leader Indira Gandhi called for an immediate end to the bombings of Northern Vietnam and to resolve the Vietnam conflict within the framework of the Geneva Agreement. India considers President Ho Chi Minh as a very important world leader.

It can be affirmed that the Vietnam-India friendship is grounded by President Ho Chi Minh and Indian Prime Minister J. Nehru with unforgettable memories of the great friendship between the two leaders of the two nation, has created a solid foundation for the Vietnam-India relationship later on.

Vivid expression of the friendship and trust between Vietnam and India

 From the foundation of historical friendship relations between Vietnam and India, with political confidence, present successors have inherited and promoted the tradition of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. For nearly 50 years (1972 - 2020), associated with India's adjustment of "Look East/Act East" foreign policy and the innovation in Vietnam's foreign policy, Vietnam - India relations have developed strongly, from strategic partnership to comprehensive strategic partnership, reaching many achievements in important fields.

In India, there are many schools, roads and monuments bearing the name of President Ho Chi Minh in New Delhi and West Bengal. A series of seminars on President Ho Chi Minh such as: the national seminar "People’s icon Ho Chi Minh and India" on the 125^th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birthday in West Bengal state; conference on President Ho Chi Minh on the occasion of the 60^th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's official visit to India (1958 - 2018) at the J.Nehru University's School of International Studies on December 17, 2018 ... Many books about him have been also published such as "People’s icon Ho Chi Minh and India"; "Ho Chi Minh and India" ...

In Vietnam, cultural works bearing the names of Indian leaders have also been built. Indian research is promoted with Research Centers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. In 1990, in the development of bilateral relations, under the direction of the Government, the University changed its name to Vinh Jawaharlan Nehru Pedagogical University in President Ho Chi Minh's hometown – a vivid symbol of the close friendship between the two countries. The Indian Research Center was established, and many academic conferences on Vietnam - India have been held. The Indian Embassy has provided the University with hundreds of books on Indian history and culture. On February 6, 1991, The Indian Ambassador J.C.Sarma visited the university and planted a banyan tree with the desire to foster more friendship between the two countries at the school named J. Nehru in President Ho Chi Minh's hometown. It has been nearly 30 years, and the banyan tree is still healthy... But due to many objective reasons, such great plans have not been carried out. However, a new generation of Indian researchers has formed at Vinh Pedagogical University, namely Assoc. Phan Van Ban, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Cong Khanh, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Van Ngoc Thanh, Assoc Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Thanh Van, Dr. Le The Cuong ... Some exemplary research projects such as: History of India, Jawaharlan Nehru - Biography and career, Vietnam-India relations, History of British colonialism in India, Indo-Soviet relations in the Cold War ..., many doctoral dissertations, master theses on India has been guided and protected. The university also has many staffs studying in India under various training programs such as Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Trang Thanh, MSc. Gian Hoang Anh ... I hope the event "Indian Cultural Days" at Vinh University is the starting point for a new cooperation process between the University and Indian training and research institutes after nearly 30 years of hiatus.

With a good history in the Vietnam-India friendship relation that the two countries’ leaders have laid the foundations and cultivated, the two countries have potentials to develop bilateral cooperation. The political interest in strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and India for the mutual benefit and regional stability is an important foundation for economic and national security cooperation and other important areas between Vietnam and India to continue growing deeper and more efficiently./.

Dr. Le The Cuong,

School of Social Sciences Education, Vinh University