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Resident ethnic distribution Indian 9.0% in 2020.

https://www.singstat.gov.sg/-/media/files/publications/cop2020/sr1/findings.pdf

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Resident ethnic distribution Chinese 74.3% in 2020.

https://www.singstat.gov.sg/-/media/files/publications/cop2020/sr1/findings.pdf

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As of 2022 2.9% of Laos's population is Chinese. worldpopulationreview.com/countries/laos-population July 1st 2022

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Indian population estimated to be over 200,000 in 2016.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/advanced/1118884/indian-community-in-thailand-in-mourning

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The Indian community and the India-Thai Chamber of Commerce joined activities to pay tributes to the late King shortly after he passed away on Oct 13. (Photo by Tawatchai Kemgumnerd)

Indian community in Thailand vows to continue charitable work in honour of the late monarch. Over 200,000 live mostly in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket & Songkhla.

NATION IN MOURNING

Indian community in Thailand in mourning

25/10/2016
Prangthong Jitcharoenkul

The Indian community in Thailand has promised to carry on providing meaningful contributions to the Kingdom in honour of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The Indian community in Thailand is estimated to number over 200,000, with most living in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Songkhla.

Hindu statues at Wat Thep Monthien.

EQUAL TREATMENT FOR ALL RELIGIONS & ETHNIC GROUPS
Sathit Kumarn, 70, president of the Hindu Samaj Association which looks after Wat Thep Monthien, the famous Hindu temple in Bangkok, praised His Majesty King Bhumibol.

He pointed out that His Majesty treated every person living in the kingdom equally, regardless of their religious beliefs or ethnic background.

"Even though the King is Buddhist, he gave his private assets to maintain the places of worship of other religions," Mr Sathit said with admiration.

He was referring to the opening ceremony of the Hindu temple presided over by Their Majesties the King and the Queen 47 years ago.

"His kindness means so much to all of us and his simple way of living his life reminds Indians of Mahatma Gandhi," Mr Sathit said.

GIVING BACK TO THAILAND THROUGH EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES
Thanks to the King's kindness, he said, the Hindu Samaj Association was able to give back to Thailand, particularly through education initiatives, constructing school buildings in remote areas in Loei, Sa Kaeo, Nakhon Phanom and Sakon Nakhon.

Ten years ago, the association also renovated and built another two buildings for Bharat Vidyalaya School where both Buddhist and Hindu primary school students study, he said.

Mr Sathit was also an adviser to a committee on religion at the National Legislative Assembly (NLA).

Last week was originally set to mark the five-day festival of lights called Diwali, which coincides with the Hindu New Year.

The Indian community in Thailand decided not to perform traditional Diwali ceremonies as the nation mourned His Majesty's passing.

The Indian community and the India-Thai Chamber of Commerce joined activities to pay tribute to the late King shortly after he passed away on Oct 13. (Photo by Tawatchai Kemgumnerd)

THE WORK OF ONE FOUNDATION
Rajinder Singh Sachdev is one of the many Thai Indians who has worked closely with the Thai royal family to reach out to disadvantaged people living in every corner of the country.

His family's Harnam Singh Harbans Kaur Sachdev Foundation has made contributions to Thailand and has supported various royal projects for more than 30 years.

SETTLED IN THAILAND AFTER PARTITION OF INDIA IN 1947

Recalling how his family came to settle in Thailand, Mr Rajinder said his grandfather was forced to leave home due to the partition of India in 1947, deciding to come to Thailand to start a new life.

Mr Rajinder still vividly remembers when his family, along with the foundation's board members, were granted an audience with the King 14 years ago at Klai Kangwon Palace in Hua Hin district of Prachuap Khiri Khan.

"My parents, brothers and I stood outside a hall to be called in. Tears started pouring down on our cheeks even before we met the King," Mr Rajinder recalled.

FOUNDATION'S WORK: SCHOLARSHIPS, SCHOOLS & SANITATION

The Harnam Singh Harbans Kaur Sachdev Foundation, established in 1983, has provided scholarships to hundreds of needy Thai students in remote areas.

The foundation has also built school and sanitation facilities, conducted sanitation workshops and provided school supplies to needy students.

Between 2005 and 2010, the foundation renovated three major schools in Phangnga and Krabi which were destroyed by the 2004 .

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1118413/indian-community-gives-back

http://www.bangkokpost.com/print/933117/

Learn from listening

Vocabulary

activity (noun): a thing that you do for work, interest or pleasure, or in order to achieve a particular aim - กิจกรรม

adviser (noun): a person who gives advice, especially somebody who knows a lot about a particular subject - ที่ปรึกษา

asset: something owned by a person, company etc., particularly money and property - ทรัพย์สิน

association: an official group of people who have joined together for a particular purpose - สมาคม

background: information about some person or subject that helps you better understand them and understand current events - ประวัติ

belief (noun): something that you think is true - ความเชื่อ

carry on: to continue doing something - ดำเนินต่อไป

ceremony (noun): a formal public event - งานพิธี

chamber of commerce: a group of local business people who work together to help business and trade in a particular town - หอการค้า

coincides with: to happen at the same time as something else - เกิดขึ้นพร้อมกับ

committee: a group of people who are chosen, usually by a larger group, to make decisions or to deal with a particular subject - คณะกรรมการ

community: a group of people who share the same job, interests, religion, etc - สังคม

conduct: to do something in an organised way; to carry out - - ลงมือทำ, ดำเนิน, ปฏิบัติ

construct: to build or make something, especially buildings, bridges, etc. - สร้าง

contribution: something that you do that helps to achieve something or to make it successful - ผลงาน,การช่วยเหลือ

disadvantaged: not having the things, such as education, or enough money, that people need in order to succeed in life - ด้อยโอกาส, ผู้เสียเปรียบในสังคม

district (noun): an area of a country, town or province, especially one that has particular features - เขต, อำเภอ, บริเวณ, แขวง

due to: because of - เนื่องจาก

equally (adv): same as; evenly; the same for all - อย่างเท่ากัน

establish: to start a company or organization that will likely continue for a long time - สถาปนา, ก่อตั้ง, จัดตั้ง

estimated: thought to be a particular amount, size, etc. based on a guess or the best information available - ประมาณการ

ethnic: of a group of people with the same culture or traditions - กลุ่มชาติพันธุ์

every corner of: the whole area -

facility (noun): a building, equipment, etc., used for a particular purpose - โรงงาน, สถานบริการ, สิ่งก่อสร้าง, สิ่งอำนวยความสะดวก

festival (noun): an event that is held to celebrate a particular thing or activity - เทศกาล

foundation: an organisation that provides money for things such as medical research or for a charity - มูลนิธิ

in honour of: to show respect and admiration for somebody - เป็นเกียรติให้กับ

initiative: a new action or movement, often intended to solve a problem - ความคิดริเริ่ม

kindness: being nice to people - ความเมตตา,ความกรุณา

major: very large or important - สำคัญมาก

needy: not having enough money, food, clothing, etc. - ยากไร้

particularly: especially, or more than usual - โดยเฉพาะ

partition: a division, separating a country into two or more parts - การแบ่งกลุ่ม

passed away (verb): died - จากไป (ตาย),เสียชีวิต, มรณภาพ

passing: death die เสียชีวิต -

pay tribute: to say or do something that shows you respect and admire someone a lot - แสดงความชื่นชมหรือขอบคุณสำหรับ

perform: to put on a show for people, e.g., singing, playing a sport, etc - แสดง

pointed out: mentioned something in order to give somebody information about it or make them notice it - ชี้ให้เห็น, บ่งชี, ชี้, ระบุ

praise: to express strong approval or admiration - ยกย่อง, ชื่นชม

preside (verb): to be in charge of a ceremony, official meeting, or other event - (ทรง) เป็นประธานในพิธี

primary school: a school for young children usually between the ages of 5/6 and 11 - โรงเรียนประถมศึกษา

private: involving groups, businesses or industries that are not owned or controlled by the government - เอกชน

project: a planned piece of work that is designed to find information about something, to produce something new, or to improve something - โครงการ

recall: to remember - จำได้ นึกทบทวน

regardless of: without being affected or influenced by anything else that happens or exists - โดยไม่คำนึงถึง

remind: to make someone think of something they have forgotten or might have forgotten - เตือนความจำ

remote: far away from other cities, towns, or people - ที่ห่างไกล

renovate: to make something old look new again by repairing and improving it, especially a building - การตบแต่งหรือซ่อมปรับปรุงสถานที่

sanitation: the systems for taking dirty water and other waste products away from buildings in order to protect people's health - สุขอนามัย

scholarships: money given to a student to pay for the cost of education - ทุนการศึกษา

settle: to go and live somewhere, especially permanently - เข้ามาอาศัยอยู่

support: to give help, encouragement or sympathy to somebody - สนับสนุน, เป็นกำลังใจ

tears (noun): drops of water that come from your eyes when you cry or when something (dust, gas, etc.) has entered your eyes - น้ำตา

traditional (adj): of a custom, a way of life or a way of doing things that has not changed for a long time - เป็นประเพณี, ตามธรรมเนียม, ตามที่ปฏิบัติกันมา

treat: to behave in a particular way towards somebody/something - ปฏิบัติ(ต่อ)

vividly: having or producing very clear and detailed images in the mind - เจิดจ้า, สว่างไสว, ชัดเจน

workshop: a period of discussion and practical work on a particular subject, in which a group of people share their knowledge and experience - การประชุมเชิงปฏิบัติการ

worship (noun): the practice of showing respect for God or a god, by saying prayers, singing with others, etc; a ceremony for this - พิธีสักการะบูชา, พิธีกราบไหว้, พิธีบวงสรวง

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Indian community in Thailand in mourning

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The Indian community and the India-Thai Chamber of Commerce joined activities to pay tributes to the late King shortly after he passed away on Oct 13. (Photo by Tawatchai Kemgumnerd) Indian community in Thailand vows to continue charitable work in honour of the late monarch.

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As of 2022 3% of Indonesia's population is Chinese. worldpopulationreview.com/countries/indonesia-population July 1st 2022

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As of 2022 0.002% of Timor-Leste's population is Chinese. worldpopulationreview.com/countries/timor--leste-population Published sometime during June 2022.

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Brunei Population 2022 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs) (worldpopulationreview.com)
population statistics of Brunei (2022)

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Brunei, officially the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace, is a sovereign state on the north coast of Borneo in Southeast Asia. The country is surrounded by the state of Sarawak, Malaysia and it is the only sovereign state on the island of Borneo.

Brunei is a small country with just 5,765 square kilometers of land, which makes it the 172nd largest country. Its population is thus right in line with its size. Brunei is divided into four districts, the largest of which is Brunei-Maura, with more than half of the country's population. Nearly 97% of Brunei's population lives in the larger western area (including Brunei-Muara, Tutong and Belait) while just 10,000 people live in the mountains of the east.

The estimated population is 437,259, with about 200,000 people living in the capital and largest city of Bandar Seri Begawan.

Brunei Demographics

75% of Brunei's population lives in urban areas, with an urbanization rate of more than 2% per year. In 2004, the last time during which official records were made, the 66.3% of the population was Malay, 11.2% was Chinese, and 3.4% was indigenous. Indigenous groups of the Malay race include Belait, Dusun, Kedayan, Murut, Tutong and Bisaya.

Malay is the official language and Islam is the official religion, with more than 66% of the population adhering to Islam. Other faiths include Buddhism (13%), Christianity (10%), Freethinkers (7%) and indigenous religions (2%). The culture and laws in the country are heavily influenced by Islam, and the country is more conservative than nearby Malaysia and Indonesia. Last year, the Sultan of Brunei announced a tough Islamic penal code would be put in place.

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Brunei Population 2022 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)

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Brunei, officially the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace, is a sovereign state on the north coast of Borneo in Southeast Asia. The country is surrounded by the state of Sarawak, Malaysia and it is the only sovereign state on the island of Borneo.

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6-7.2 million Chinese. Roughly 10-12 per cent of the population. 2018

https://minorityrights.org/minorities/chinese-6/

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Profile

Estimated population: 6-7.2 million

Ethnicity: Han Chinese

First language/s: Thai, Teochew, Hakka, Hainanese, Mandarin

Religion/s: Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism

Chinese make up roughly 10-12 per cent of the population of Thailand. Because of a long history of intermixture with ethnic Thais, precise figures on their actual numbers are hard to ascertain. With the exception of a small minority, the majority of the Chinese are Thai-Chinese. While most Chinese live in urban areas, there is also a distinct rural Yunnanese Chinese community in the hills of northern Thailand. Most Chinese in Thailand are of Teochew background, and it is this language which remains the most commonly used for business purposes, though Mandarin appears to be making some headway. The minority is generally thought to be economically advantaged in relation to the majority Thai population, with some reports that they may control more than 80 per cent of Thai business interests.

Historical context

Chinese presence in what is today Thailand goes back at least to the thirteenth century. By the sixteenth century, they had a small community located in the then capital of the Kingdom of Siam, Ayudhya, as well as a well-established community in Pattani, in the extreme south of the country.

By the seventeenth century, they represented perhaps 1 per cent of the population, and were mainly ethnic Cantonese and Fujianese. By the nineteenth century, Teochew migrants had become the largest group within the Chinese minority, and their language became the lingua franca among the various ethnic Chinese groups.

By the nineteenth century, Thailand's Chinese were engaged in commercial activities and as labourers in industry, mines, construction and plantations. Their role was significant in the important rice export trade. During this period Chinese migration increased substantially, so that at the beginning of the twentieth century the Chinese had come to constitute perhaps more than half of the population of the capital, known in the west as Bangkok.

The large Chinese population and the economic dominance of the Chinese began to create serious resentment which started to manifest itself in the first decades of the twentieth century. Anti-Chinese sentiments appeared in government policies, including statements made by King Rama VI asserting that the Chinese were not loyal Thai subjects. These were followed by laws such as a 1910 poll tax, which had a considerable impact on the Chinese and led to a general strike by Chinese workers.

While a 1913 Nationality Law gave citizenship to the Chinese, Thai authorities started to enforce laws that also mandated the assimilation of citizens. This became particularly obvious after the overthrow of Thailand's absolute monarchy in 1932 brought in military leaders who adopted much more blatantly Thai nationalist policies. In the 1930s and 1940s, various laws and other measures excluded members of the Chinese minority from about 27 different professions, nationalized some areas of the economy or brought it under strict government control - and outside of Chinese hands. Teaching in Chinese was either prohibited or only allowed in private schools for a limited number of hours. Many Chinese either chose to leave the country, migrating to other parts of Asia, or tried to 'disappear' by adopting Thai names so as to be less conspicuous. The creation of state-owned industries, placed in Thai hands, forced the Chinese community to diversify its economic activities and form alliances with powerful Thais.

The shift in the 1960s and 1970s to an export-oriented economy was to the advantage of Chinese businesses. Today those of Chinese or partial Chinese descent occupy all strata of Thai society, including Thailand's biggest companies outside of the agricultural sphere. More than half live in the Bangkok area and the Chinese population as a whole is largely urbanized. Involvement in the commercial sphere, whether as owners of large businesses or as small shopkeepers, remains predominant. Although traditionally the Chinese have shied away from politics, in the 1980s they became more involved. Some of today's most prominent politicians are Thai-Chinese. Local Chinese newspapers now operate freely and there are several private Chinese schools operating, supported by an increase in interest in Chinese traditions and culture after the 1980s.

Current issues

The Chinese minority remains well integrated, economically advantaged in relation to the ethnic Thai majority. In recent years they have been increasingly visible in Thai society and politics generally and are not victims of any sort of institutionalized discrimination.
Updated April 2018

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Thanks for using our World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples! We hope you find it interesting. We have a small favour to ask: if you appreciate our work, would you mind considering making a donation to support our work?

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As of 2022. 1% of Cambodia's population is Chinese. worldpopulationreview.com/countries/cambodia-population July 1st 2022

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As of 2022, 3% of Myanmar's population is Chinese, and 2% is Indian. worldpopulationreview.com/countries/myanmar-population July 1st 2022.

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About 6000 Indian people including short-term visitors. 2022 I think.

https://www.cgihcmc.gov.in/page/bilateral-relation/#:~:text=It%20is%20estimated%20that%20nearly,the%20southern%20part%20of%20Vietnam.

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India - Vietnam Relations

India and Vietnam, with a long history of cultural and civilizational links and common roots in the struggle for independence from colonial rule, share traditionally close and cordial bilateral relations. Mahatma Gandhi and President Ho Chi Minh, regarded as the Father of Nation in India and Vietnam respectively, led people in their heroic struggle against colonialism in the two countries. India was the Chairman of the International Commission for Supervision and Control (ICSC), which was formed pursuant to the Geneva Accord of 1954 to facilitate the peace process in Vietnam. India initially maintained Consulate-level relations with the then North and South Vietnams and later established full diplomatic relations with unified Vietnam on 7 January 1972. Relations between the two countries were elevated to the level of 'Strategic Partnership' during the visit of Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to India in July 2007. In 2016, during Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's visit to Vietnam, bilateral relations were further elevated to a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership".

2. The current development of India-Vietnam relations are guided by a historic "Joint Vision for Peace, Prosperity and People" adopted by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc during the first ever India-Vietnam Virtual Summit held on 21 December 2020. On the sidelines of the Virtual Summit, the Foreign Ministers of the two countries also signed a Plan of Action for the period 2021-23 to implement the Joint Vision. In 2022, India and Vietnam are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

Recent Meetings/Virtual Interactions

Telephone Call between Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi and General Secretary of Communist Party of Vietnam, Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong

15 April 2022

Recent Visits from India to Vietnam

Recent Visits from Vietnam to India

Institutional Mechanisms for Bilateral Exchanges

3. There are several bilateral mechanisms at different levels between India and Vietnam. The Joint Commission Meeting at the Foreign Ministers' level and the Foreign Office Consultations and Strategic Dialogue at Secretary-level provide the broad framework for bilateral consultations encompassing all areas of mutual interest. The 16th Joint Commission Meeting was held at Hanoi in August 2018. The Vice Ministerial-level 10th Foreign Office Consultations and the 7th Strategic Dialogue were held in New Delhi in April 2018.In view of the COVID-19 related travel restrictions, the last (17th) round of Joint Commission Meeting was held online between External Affairs Minister of India and the Deputy PM and Foreign Minister of Vietnam on 25 August 2020. Similarly, the 11th Foreign Office Consultations and the 8th Strategic Dialogue were held online in November 2021.

4. India-Vietnam Joint Sub-Commission on Trade at Commerce Secretary-Level held its 4th meeting in Hanoi in January 2019. The 13th Defence Secretary-level Annual Defence Policy Dialogue was held virtually on 12 January 2021. Among other key institutional dialogues, the 2nd India-Vietnam Maritime Security Dialogue was held on virtual platform in April 2021 following the first round held in Hanoi in March 2019. The 1st Policy Planning Dialogue between the two Foreign Ministries were held in September 2020 at the level of Joint Secretary/Director General.

5. Both countries also maintain regular Parliamentary exchanges. There is a Cooperation Agreement signed between the Lok Sabha and Vietnam's National Assembly in December 2016 that provides the institutional framework for strengthening cooperation between the Parliaments of the two countries. The visit of the Chairman of National Assembly Chairman of Vietnam Mr. Vung Dinh Hue to India in December 2021 and the return visit of the Speaker of Lok Sabha of India to Vietnam in April 2022 have further strengthened the Parliamentary exchanges.

II. TRADE AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION

Bilateral Trade

6. From a meagre US$ 200 million in the year 2000, bilateral trade between India and Vietnam has seen steady growth over the years. According to Indian statistics for Financial Year 2021-22, bilateral trade between India and Vietnam posted a growth of 27% and reached US$ 14.14 billion. Indian exports to Vietnam reached US$ 6.70 billion (increase of 34%) while Indian imports from Vietnam amounted to US$ 7.44 billion (increase of 21%). In FY 2021-22, for India, Vietnam was the 23rd largest trading partner globally and the 4th largest within ASEAN, following Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.

7. In FY 2021-22, key items of exports from India to Vietnam included iron and steel, cotton, cereals, meat and fishery products, electrical machinery and equipment, machinery and mechanical appliances, auto parts, articles of stone, cement, plaster, paper and paper articles, inputs for leather articles, chemical products, organic and inorganic chemicals, pharmaceutical products, minerals and its products as well as animal feed. Key items of imports into India from Vietnam were electrical and electronic equipment, chemicals, machinery and mechanical appliances, articles of plastic, copper and rubber, coffee, tea and spices, iron and steel and their articles, footwear, fertilizers, animal feed, inorganic chemicals, metals, silk, optical, medical and surgical equipment.

India's Investments in Vietnam

8. India's investments in Vietnam are estimated at around US$ 1.9 billion including investments routed through third countries. According to Vietnam's Foreign Investment Agency, as of December 2021, India has 313 valid projects with total invested capital of US$ 910.4 million in Vietnam, ranking 25th among countries and territories investing in Vietnam. Major sectors of Indian investment are energy, mineral exploration, agro-processing, sugar, tea, coffee manufacturing, agro-chemicals, IT and auto components.

Vietnam's Investments in India

9. As of 2021, Vietnam has six investment projects in India with total estimated investment of US$ 28.55 million, primarily in the areas of pharmaceuticals, information technology, chemicals and building materials.

III. DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP

10. India has a long-standing development partnership with Vietnam that has made positive contributions towards capacity building, Sustainable Development Goals and socio-economic development of Vietnam. India has also been providing assistance to Vietnam within the ASEAN framework.

Quick Impact Projects

11. Under the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) framework, India has been taking up Quick Impact Projects (QIPs), each valued at US$50,000, in different provinces of Vietnam for development of community infrastructure. With their short gestation period, the QIPs bring direct benefits to communities at the grassroots level. During the Virtual Summit between the Prime Ministers of India and Vietnam on 21 December 2020, it was decided to raise the number of QIP projects from 05 to 10 per year to be implemented annually in Vietnam. So far, since 2017, 27 QIPs have been completed in 23 provinces of Vietnam, while 10 new projects are under implementation in 10 provinces.

Capacity Building Cooperation, Training Programmes and Scholarships

12. As part of capacity building support under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, India has offered short-term courses in Indian institutions to nearly 3000 Vietnamese participants over the years. Separately, Indian Council of Cultural Relations offers nearly 50 scholarships for Vietnamese scholars every year. Vietnamese students are also availing of the recent initiative of Government of India launched in October 2019 to offer PhD fellowship programme in association with 23 IITs for 1000 students from ASEAN countries. Vietnam is also among our partner countries with whom we have on-going e-ITEC programmes.

Cultural Conservation Projects in Vietnam

13. India is providing technical assistance worth US$ 2.25 million for conservation and restoration of ancient Cham monuments at the World heritage Site of My Son in Quang Nam Province of Vietnam, showcasing the deep civilizational connection between the two countries. The conservation work is being carried out by the experts from the Archaeological Survey of India.

14. Defence cooperation between India and Vietnam is an important pillar of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. A Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation signed between their Ministries of Defence in 2009 and the Joint Vision on Defence Cooperation signed by their Defence Ministers in 2015 provide the broad institutional framework under which India-Vietnam defence partnership has developed in recent times.

15. From traditional exchanges between the Ministries of Defence of the two sides, this engagement has today diversified to wide-ranging contacts between the services and military-to-military exchanges, including visits of senior military leaders, capacity building and training programmes, and bilateral exercises. The well-established bilateral annual exchange framework includes Defence Policy Dialogue at the Deputy Ministerial level, Services Staff talks and High-level Meetings between the Coast Guards. Cooperation in United Nations Peace Keeping Operations is another key area of our cooperation. A fast-growing facet of our defence engagements is the defence industrial collaboration focusing at defence modernization and capacity building driven by India's Defence Lines of Credit to Vietnam totaling US$600 million.

16. Regular exchange of naval ship visits is an important part of India-Vietnam defence relations. Most recently, Indian Navy Ship INS Ranvijay and INS Kora made port call at Cam Ranh in Vietnam from 15-18 August 2021 and also held bilateral maritime exercise with Vietnam People's Navy frigate VPNS Ly Thai To (HQ-012). Another Indian Navy Ship INS Airavat came to Ho Chi Minh City in May and August 2021 carrying COVID-19 relief supplies provided to each other. Earlier, in December 2021, Indian Navy Ship INS Kiltan had visited Ho Chi Minh City to deliver flood relief materials for the people of Central Vietnam.

III. CULTURAL COOPERATION AND PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE EXCHANGES

Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), Hanoi

17. The Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC) was established in Hanoi in September 2016 to promote a comprehensive understanding of India and to foster closer links between peoples of both countries through cultural exchanges. The Centre organizes cultural programmes, seminars, photo exhibitions, film screenings, lectures, workshops in varied areas such as Yoga, Indian classical dance, art and philosophy, Hindi and Sanskrit languages, traditional medicine, our shared Buddhist and Cham heritage with Vietnam, etc. SVCC has a collection of over 2,500 books, magazines, CDs and DVDs on various aspects of Indian art, culture, nature, tourism etc. SVCC also maintains close engagement with universities, academia, art institutes and friendship organisations of Vietnam.

Youth Exchanges and Academic Collaboration

18. Both countries have regular exchange of youth delegations. Close relations are maintained with academia and think tanks in Vietnam. The Vietnam Institute for Indian and South-West Asian Studies (VIISAS) under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and the Centre for Indian Studies at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics are among the key centres in Vietnam focused on Indian studies and have academic cooperation with Indian institutions.

Tourism and People-to-People Contacts

19. Tourism exchanges were affected during 2020 due to COVID-related disruptions following the growth witnessed after the launch of direct flights between the two countries in October 2019. It is expected that after the COVID situation normalizes, the direct flight connectivity will resume and help in enhancing two-way tourism as well as trade and business linkages. Both countries have facilitated simplified visa regime to promote bilateral tourism. India has e-tourist visa arrangement for Vietnamese citizens since 2015. Vietnam extended e-visa facilities to Indian citizens travelling to Vietnam since December 2017.

150 th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

20. Embassy of India organized various events to celebrate Mahatma@150 during the years 2019 and 2020. The Embassy of India, Vietnam's Ministry of Information and Communication and Vietnam Post jointly launched a commemorative stamp on Mahatma Gandhi on Gandhi Jayanti on 2 October 2019.

21. Under the "India for Humanity" initiative launched to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Government of India in collaboration with the Indian NGO Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), launched the artificial limb fitment programme, popularly known as the "Jaipur Foot", in Vietnam. Under the initiative, artificial limb fitment camps were organised by Government of India in four Provinces of Vietnam in 2018-2019 - Vinh Phuc and Phu Tho Provinces in June-July 2018 and Quang Ninh and Yen Bai Provinces in May-June 2019, providing artificial limbs to more than 1000 people.

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav

22. To celebrate the 75th Independence Day of India and the " Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav", the Embassy, in collaboration with the Indian community in Vietnam and various Vietnamese organisations, has been undertaking a number of activities to showcase India's achievements and developments in India-Vietnam relations. A list of such activities may be seen at: https://www.indembassyhanoi.gov.in/news.php?cat=4

Indian Community in Vietnam

23. It is estimated that nearly 6000 people from India, including short-term visitors, constitute the Indian community in Vietnam. Majority of them are based in and around Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) in the southern part of Vietnam. Most of the community members are professionals employed in business and trading companies, oil refineries, IT sector, hotels/restaurants, mining, yoga institutions, civil aviation sector and schools. Some Indians in Vietnam currently hold senior positions in multi-national companies and international organisations. Indian Business Chamber (INCHAM), a recognized organization by the Government of Vietnam, represents Indian community and promotes Indian business interests in Vietnam.

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Consulate General of India Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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India - Vietnam Relations India and Vietnam, with a long history of cultural and civilizational links and common roots in the struggle for independence from colonial rule, share traditionally close and cordial bilateral relations. Mahatma Gandhi and President Ho Chi Minh, regarded as the Father of Nation in India and Vietnam respectively, led people in their heroic struggle against colonialism in the two countries.

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As of 2022, 11.2% of Brunei's population were Chinese. worldpopulationreview.com/countries/brunei-population July 1st, 2022. (Jason)

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2014 - Chinese 1 million or 2% of the population
https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/pages/attachments/2015/06/18/chinese_hoa.pdf