Context: India Vietnam Strategic Partnership
During the visit of To Lam to India, both countries upgraded ties to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and signed 13 MoUs/agreements in defence, critical minerals, maritime security and digital connectivity.
Important India–Vietnam Facts
- Comprehensive Strategic Partnership — 2016
- Vietnam is among India’s top ASEAN trading partners
Key pillar of
- Act East Policy
- Indo-Pacific strategy
- MAHASAGAR vision
India supports
- ASEAN centrality
- UNCLOS 1982
- Free & open Indo-Pacific
Key Agreements/MoUs Signed (13)
- Rare-earth & critical minerals cooperation
- RBI–State Bank of Vietnam MoU on digital payments
- Radioactive minerals cooperation
- Security cooperation between Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security & India’s NSCS
- Defence & maritime cooperation
- Science & technology cooperation
Major Outcomes of the Visit
Defence & Maritime Cooperation
Expansion of:
- Maritime security cooperation
- Defence industry partnership
- Military training & capacity building
- Progress reviewed in India’s defence Lines of Credit (LoC) to Vietnam
Economic & Strategic Cooperation
- Bilateral trade — $16 billion
- Trade target — $25 billion by 2030
Cooperation expanded in:
- Supply-chain resilience
- Critical minerals
- Digital connectivity
Indo-Pacific Dimension
Reaffirmed commitment to:
- Freedom of navigation
- Rule-based Indo-Pacific order
- ASEAN-led regional architecture
