In recent years, India has emerged as a notable success story in regional economic development, while steadily enhancing its international standing through a balanced and independent foreign policy. These factors have enabled the South Asian country to remain resilient and sustain strong growth amid an increasingly volatile and contested global environment.

India’s political landscape has remained stable. On June 4, 2024, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), won the 18th Lok Sabha election. Prime Minister Modi’s government continues to pursue domestic reforms aimed at transforming India into a developed country by 2047, the centenary of its independence.

Economically, India has become the world’s fourth-largest economy and continues to be a driver of global growth. The Indian economy has expanded beyond expectations, with growth of 8.2% in the third quarter of 2025, while GDP growth in the 2025-2026 fiscal year is projected to reach more than 6.5%. The government is channelling significant investment into emerging industries, particularly semiconductors, green hydrogen, and electric vehicles, while accelerating negotiations on free trade agreements (FTAs) with key partners.

Viet Nam and India share a traditional friendship and long-standing close ties, which are valuable assets of both countries. Buddhist links are clear evidence of the depth of historical, cultural, and religious exchanges and connections between the two nations.

Viet Nam has always received the active, strong, and substantive support of the government and people of India in its struggle for national liberation as well as in national construction and development.

The two countries officially established diplomatic relations in 1972. On May 1, 2003, the two sides signed the Joint Declaration on the Comprehensive Cooperation Framework between Viet Nam and India entering the 21st century. On July 6, 2007, the two countries upgraded their relations to a strategic partnership, and on September 3, 2016, elevated them to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

On December 21, 2020, the two countries adopted the Viet Nam–India Joint Vision Statement on Peace, Prosperity, and People. On August 1, 2024, the two countries adopted a joint declaration on strengthening the Viet Nam–India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Bilateral relations between the two countries across Party, State, National Assembly, and people-to-people channels have continued to expand and deepen. The two sides have actively promoted high-level visits. They maintain effective cooperation mechanisms such as the Viet Nam-India Joint Commission at the ministerial level of foreign affairs, the Viet Nam-India Joint Sub-Commission on Trade, political consultations and strategic dialogue, security dialogue, defence policy dialogue, foreign policy dialogue, and maritime security dialogue, among others.

Trade is considered an important pillar in the Viet Nam–India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. In recent years, this sector has consistently achieved high growth, recording encouraging milestones. India is currently Viet Nam’s 8th largest trading partner, while Viet Nam is India’s 21st largest partner and 4th within ASEAN, with bilateral trade turnover having increased 2.5 times since the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership.

In 2025, total trade turnover between Viet Nam and India reached 16.4 billion USD, up 10.5% compared to the same period in 2024. In the first three months of 2026, bilateral trade turnover reached 4.8 billion USD, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025.

Cooperation between the two countries has not only remained in traditional areas but also expanded into information technology and digital services, with India having supported the establishment of IT centres in Viet Nam.

The key factor in maintaining the stable and positive development of bilateral relations over the past decade has been the political will of leaders of both countries, along with goodwill and clearly shared interests.

Preeti Saran, Former Indian Ambassador to Viet Nam

Indian investors have invested in 15 economic sectors of Viet Nam, with capital mainly concentrated in processing industry and manufacturing, electricity production and distribution, and mining. Notable projects include the Son Hoa Sugar Factory project and the Ngon Coffee Co., Ltd. project in Dak Lak Province, and the Infra 1 Solar Power Plant project in Khanh Hoa Province.

Meanwhile, as of March 2026, Vietnamese investors had invested in 30 projects in India with total registered capital of nearly 150.5 million USD, ranking 17th out of 88 overseas investment destinations of Viet Nam.

Education and training cooperation between the two countries has achieved many positive results. India has granted Viet Nam 150 scholarships under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme, 30 scholarships under the CEP/GCSS Programme, and two to four scholarships per year for Hindi language and Indian culture studies. It has also supported the establishment of a high-quality human resources training centre in information technology and communications in Ha Noi, and an English language centre at Da Nang University.

Defence and security cooperation continues to be an important and strategic pillar. The Ministries of Defence of both countries are coordinating the implementation of defence credit packages and non-refundable aid provided by the Indian Government to Viet Nam. India has supported Viet Nam in training, transferring used submarines, and defence equipment.

Tourism cooperation and people-to-people exchanges have been strengthened and broadened. Both sides are enhancing air and maritime connectivity. India is supporting Viet Nam in the restoration of the Cham tower groups at the My Son heritage site.

From having no direct flights in 2016, the two countries now operate nearly 100 flights a week, generating strong momentum for trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people exchanges. Exchanges of scholars, students and young people between the two nations are also becoming increasingly dynamic.

In scientific and technological cooperation, the two sides maintain a sub-committee mechanism on science and technology. Collaboration in this field has been advanced, providing fresh impetus in several areas that meet the needs of both countries, particularly innovation, robotics, start-ups, atomic energy and biotechnology.

Numerous cooperation documents have been signed, a Joint Committee on Atomic Energy for peaceful purposes has been established, and both sides are actively expanding cooperation in information technology and rare earths.

The State visit to India by Party General Secretary and President To Lam is a vivid demonstration of our Party and State’s foreign policy in the new era, as set out by the 14th National Party Congress. That policy is independence, self-reliance, self-strengthening, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralisation and diversification of external relations, and being a responsible member of the international community.

Nguyen Manh Cuong, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs