New Delhi [India], May 6 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vietnam President To Lam on Wednesday held wide-ranging discussions and reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said.
Prime Minister Modi congratulated Lam on his election as President of Vietnam and expressed confidence that under his leadership, Vietnam will continue to make steady progress towards its development aspirations. Lam congratulated Prime Minister Modi for significant achievements in national development, high economic growth and for India's initiatives to strengthen multilateralism and to promote Global South cooperation. The leaders underlined that deepening India - Vietnam ties will continue to bring mutual benefit to their peoples and contribute meaningfully towards achieving their respective national goals, i.e. India's Viksit Bharat 2047 and Vietnam's Vision 2045.
Sharing the common views on the transformative shifts in the global and regional landscape, the two leaders recognised the strong foundation of relations based on mutual trust, respect, understanding, shared outlook and effective cooperation across numerous fields. They therefore agreed to elevate the bilateral relations to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the spirit of 'shared vision, strategic convergence, substantive cooperation', further translating the enormous goodwill into tangible outcomes.
They noted that 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and agreed to celebrate this occasion in a befitting manner. Welcoming the significant progress achieved in bilateral cooperation over the past decade, the two sides agreed to continue the effective implementation of the outcomes of high-level talks and visits in recent years, including the Joint Statement on Strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Vietnam in August 2024, the India- Vietnam Joint Vision for Peace, Prosperity and People in 2020, and the outcomes of the meetings between the leaders of the two countries. The leaders agreed to maintain regular engagements at all levels, including at the leadership level.
Taking note of the constitution of India- Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Parliament of India, the leaders welcomed enhancing cooperation between the two countries' legislatures and continuing close coordination between parliamentary delegations of both sides at multilateral forums, including at the Inter-Parliamentary Union and ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, as per the statement.
The leaders acknowledged that regular dialogue and exchanges under existing institutional mechanisms across multiple sectors of the cooperation have deepened trust and enhanced mutual understanding. In this regard, they agreed that the Political Consultation & Strategic Dialogue, and the Joint Commission Meeting on Economic, Trade, and Scientific Cooperation remain key pillars underpinning India- Vietnam relations. The leaders also agreed that meetings under these mechanisms, particularly in the areas of defence, security, maritime domain, trade and investment, agriculture, health, ICT, cyber, science & technology, space and atomic energy, be convened regularly. The two sides look forward to the establishment of the Strategic Diplomacy - Defence Dialogue (2+2).
The leaders agreed to accelerate the effective implementation of the Plan of Action between India and Vietnam from 2024 through 2028 and this Joint Statement, the statement added.
Earlier in the day, during a press statement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lam said, "It is my great pleasure to pay my state visit to India at the invitation of PM Modi and the leaders of India... I am very impressed, and I would like to congratulate India for its leaps and bounds progress. India has been soaring ahead as a centre of growth and innovation in the world. Prime Minister Modi and I have had a very successful discussion. We attach great importance to the outcomes of the 50 years of relations as well as the 10 years of the comprehensive strategic partnership, and we would give high priority to our bilateral relations. We also shared our vision on the region and the world, and we reached a high level of mutual understanding as to how important the relationship between India and Vietnam is to both countries."
He added, "First, we agreed to continue to further deepen political trust, step up high-level engagement, and increase the effectiveness of existing cooperation mechanisms. Second, we will elevate defence and security cooperation to become a strategic pillar to contribute to strengthening an environment of peace and stability. Third, we would bring about a stronger change in economic cooperation, trade cooperation, and investment cooperation through value chain connectivity, removing barriers, and expanding market access. Science, technology, innovation and digital transformation will be a new driver for cooperation, opening up new areas, bringing about high value added."
Lam further said that Vietnam supports India, assuming a greater position and role at multilateral forums.
He said, "Vietnam supports India, assuming a greater position and role at multilateral forums, and we would like to more closely together with India in addressing common challenges facing the region and the world. We also reasserted the importance of the maintenance of an environment of peace, stability, ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation over flight, addressing disputes through peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the UNCLOS 1982. The two sides agreed to work together and drive activities within the ASEAN-India year on maritime activities in 2026. We encourage greater connectivity between India and ASEAN and with the Mekong subregion. On this occasion, we have signed a wide range of cooperation agreements. We have agreed to give instructions to the respective ministries, agencies and authorities to bring the enhanced strategic comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and India to a new developmental stage."
At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, President To Lam, paid a state visit to India from May 5-7.