President of India embarks on week-long state visit to Vietnam, Australia

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Kovind, in his maiden visit to an Asean country, will hold talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday embarked on a week-long visit to Vietnam and Australia, saying he was looking forward to a "busy and business-like" events.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted that it would be Kovind's first visit to any country to India's east as President.

Starting his trip from the Vietnamese coastal city of Da Nang, Kovind will head to the capital Hanoi where he will hold talks with the political leadership and also address the country's National Assembly.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Kovind, in his maiden visit to an Asean country, will hold talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Heading to Australia on November 21, Kovind, the first Indian President to visit the country, will meet Prime Minister Scott Morrison. They will together unveil a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Parramatta to mark the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation.

He will visit Sydney and Melbourne and hold discussions with the Governor-General Peter Cosgrove. The President will also address the Australia Financial Review Business event.

He is also slated to meet Governor of Victoria Linda Dessau and address students at the Melbourne University.