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India, Vietnam to expand cooperation during PM Pham Minh Chinh’s New Delhi visit
This is the first visit by a Vietnamese premier to India in a decade, and also the first prime ministerial visit since the two sides upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016
Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is visiting India to inject new momentum into the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries and to expand cooperation into new areas such as digital economy and renewable energy.
This is the first visit by a Vietnamese premier to India in a decade, and also the first prime ministerial visit since the two sides upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016. Chinh will be accorded a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhawan before he holds talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on August 1.
The two sides are expected to sign several agreements following the talks between the two leaders. Chinh will also meet President Droupadi Murmu, vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar and external affairs minister S Jaishankar.
Chinh will be accompanied by a high-level delegation including several ministers, deputy ministers and business leaders. “India considers Vietnam as a key pillar of its Act East policy and an important partner in its Indo-Pacific vision,” the external affairs ministry said on Tuesday.
Chinh will also deliver the annual Sapru House Lecture at the Indian Council of World Affairs on August 1.
Vietnam’s ambassador to India, Nguyen Thanh Hai, told Vietnam News Agency that Chinh’s visit is expected to inject new momentum into the comprehensive strategic partnership. He said Vietnamese and Indian leaders are expected to outline directions for deepening the partnership in various fields, aligning with the interests of both countries amid complex geopolitical and economic shifts in the region and the world.
The two sides will strengthen traditional areas of cooperation and expand into new potential sectors such as digital economy, telecommunications, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, information technology and renewable energy.
The visit is also an opportunity for Vietnam and India to enhance collaboration and support each other on regional and international issues, and at multilateral forums, while contributing to the promotion of peace, stability and development in the region and beyond, Hai said.
Two-way trade has increased two-and-a-half times since 2016, touching about $15 billion in 2023. Indian conglomerates are interested in investing in Vietnam, particularly in strategic sectors such as renewable energy, processing industry, pharmaceuticals and infrastructure. There are about 60 direct flights a week between the two sides, and nearly 400,000 Indians have visited Vietnam this year.
