New Delhi, Nov 23: President Pratibha Devisingh Patil leaves on a 10-day visit to Vietnam and Indonesia on Monday to expand bilateral ties with ASEAN neighbours.

President Patil’s high high-level visit is expected to give a fresh impetus to bilateral relations covering areas like political, economic and cultural ties with these countries.

“This visit essentially reaffirms India’s commitment to enhance our engagement with these countries, our close friends within ASEAN fraternity. It is part of our ‘Look East’ policy initiative,” said N Ravi, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs.

The visit would also give India an opportunity to assess the present state of relations in all facets, besides enhancing ties in trade and investment, Ravi said.

Patil, who will be leaving for Ho Chi Minh City on Monday, will have meetings with her Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Minh Triet and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, reviewing bilateral relations between the two countries.

During her four-day stay in Vietnam, which would also take her to Hanoi, the President would attend a business meeting being organised by FICCI and the Vietnam Chambers of Commerce. (ANI)