President Pratibha Patil has favored enhanced economic cooperation between India and Vietnam through "walking together". She also called for linking their commercial hubs Mumbai and Ho Chi Minh City as "sister cities".

"As our two nations stood by each other in the past, and as we stand now at the threshold of prosperity, it would be our endeavour to walk together, hand-in-hand, for future cooperation," Patil said at a dinner in Ho-chi-Minnh city.

The dinner was hosted in her honour by Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Le Hoang Quan.

"The ongoing economic reforms in both countries should provide new opportunities for the entrepreneurs, businessmen and industrialists," the President said.

The President also said Mumbai and Ho Chi Minh City, which "drive the economic engines in our fast growing nations," should be linked as "sister cities".

Under the sister city concept, cultural and people-to- people contacts are encouraged, officials said.

Ho Chi MinhCity has such relationships with Osaka, Moscow, St Petersburg, Toronto, San Francisco, Shanghai, Istanbul and Manila.

Earlier, speaking to reporters accompanying her on the visit, the President said "As a part of India's 'Look East Policy', it has been our endeavour to forge close relations with countries of ASEAN, of which Vietnam and Indonesia are important countries."

The President is on a 10 day visit to Vietnam and Indonesia.