NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has said India would extend all possible support to promote exchange programmes between public broadcasters of the India and Vietnam in content creation, screening and distribution of films.

During a meeting with a Vietnamese delegation led by Vietnam Information and Communications Minister Truong Minh Tuan, Naidu said collaboration in the field of Films, Broadcasting and Information Dissemination would strengthen the ties between India and Vietnam.

Cooperation in the field of institutional capacity building in social media, student exchange programs between premier institutes of both the countries in the field of journalism and films would bring the two countries close.

During the discussions, Naidu told the Vietnam delegation about the Film Facilitation Office (FFO) setup in the Ministry to facilitate single window clearance for film makers. The FFO setup shall act as a facilitation point for film producers and assist them in obtaining requisite permissions, disseminate information on shooting locales as well as the details about the various facilities available within the Indian film industry for production/post production thereof.

The Vietnam Minister gave a brief overview about the Media scenario in his country and expressed the hope that there would be cooperation between the National Broadcasters of both the countries to work closely in the field of real time information gathering and dissemination.

The Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) signed in 2014 between the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for the year 2015-17 provided the institutional framework for collaboration in the Films sector.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Vietnam in 2016 was a significant event for both the countries reinforcing the Government’s “Act East Policy.”

The year 2017 marks the 45th anniversary of the diplomatic relations and 10 years of strategic partnerships between the two countries.