Deora calls on Vietnamese Prime Minister

Hanoi (Vietnam), July 22 (ANI): Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora called on Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Thursday and the two sides discussed further strengthening of bilateral ties in the hydrocarbon sector.

Deora, who is leading a high-level delegation to Vietnam at the invitation of his counterpart Vu Huy Hoang, to participate in the East Asia Energy Ministers' meeting also handed over a letter from Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to the Vietnamese Prime Minister.

The Indian delegation includes the Secretary, Petroleum and Natural Gas, senior officials of the Ministry, Chairmen and CEOs of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL), Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and GAIL India Limited.

India has strong relationship with Vietnam and both sides have taken deep interest in each other's economic development.

Given the cordial relations, ONGC Videsh Limited was assigned Block 06.1, through Government-to-Government interactions on nomination basis on May 19 1988.

This block in Vietnam also happens to be the first equity oil and gas project of ONGC Videsh Lomited. (ANI)