New Delhi, May 6 -- President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday hosted a banquet in honour of Vietnam President To Lam, who is on a three-day visit to India.

Welcoming President Lam on his first State Visit to India, the President said that India and Vietnam share a deep friendship rooted in historical, civilizational, and cultural ties.

The President noted that in recent years, India-Vietnam bilateral relations have expanded across high-level exchanges, defence and security cooperation, development partnership, and sectors such as trade, health, science and technology, and tourism.

She referred to agreements and announcements made during the visit in important areas such as rare earth minerals, digital and financial technology, culture, and...