Following an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the general secretary and president of Vietnam, To Lam made a state visit to India from May 5 to May 7, 2026. This visit is important, as it saw both nations agree on upgrading their relationship to an enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership that will focus on strategic convergence and concrete cooperation during the next decade in light of “Viksit Bharat 2047” of India and “Vision 2045” of Vietnam.
The cooperation between the political institutions of both countries will be furthered by launching a dialogue in the area of diplomacy and defence (2+2) and by holding frequent meetings of their high-ranking officials. To celebrate the 10 years since they established relations, the two leaders agreed to cooperate in international bodies such as the UN and ASEAN. To achieve this, we must expedite the implementation of the action plan from 2024 to 2028.
Economically, both sides agreed to set a new goal for bilateral trade at $25 billion USD by 2030. The partnership will place major emphasis on increasing market access for agricultural produce, particularly Indian grapes and pomegranates, as well as Vietnamese durians and pomelos. Additionally, they committed to promoting mutual investment in technology, renewable energy, and the digital economy, while continuing their existing collaboration in oil and gas exploration in accordance with international law and UNCLOS.
Defence and security are yet another crucial pillar of their partnership. They have pledged to enhance relations through joint research, the co-development of technologies, and increased maritime security cooperation. It will entail conducting joint hydrographic surveys and implementing existing credit lines for defence. Additionally, they will increase cooperation in cybersecurity and counter-terrorism, while Vietnam welcomed India’s consistent efforts in capacity building through the ITEC programme and military training.
In addition, the alliance is committed to advancing science, technology and human exchanges. A noteworthy agreement signed by central banks will make the use of retail payment systems through QR codes possible for tourism purposes soon. Collaboration will also involve the use of nuclear power for peaceful purposes, the development of space technology and the protection of world heritage, such as My Son. Lastly, both heads of state reiterated their support for the free and open Indo-Pacific region, calling for peaceful settlement of issues in the South China Sea.
