India and Vietnam Elevate Ties to Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

India and Vietnam elevated their bilateral relationship to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on 6 May 2026 during talks in New Delhi between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vietnamese President To Lam. The upgrade came in the 10th year of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which began in 2016.

India-Vietnam Bilateral Framework

The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Vietnam was established in 2016. The new framework places the relationship at a higher diplomatic level in India’s engagement with Vietnam, which is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Agreements and Areas of Cooperation

• India and Vietnam signed 13 Memoranda of Understanding and agreements during President To Lam’s state visit from 5 to 7 May 2026.
• The cooperation areas included defence, banking, digital payments, rare earth elements, pharmaceuticals, urban management, culture, and digital technologies.
• The Reserve Bank of India and the State Bank of Vietnam signed an MoU on payment systems and digital innovation.
• India’s Unified Payments Interface and Vietnam’s fast payment system are planned for linkage.

Trade, Defence, and Maritime Cooperation

• India and Vietnam set a bilateral trade target of 25 billion United States dollars by 2030.
• Bilateral trade between the two countries reached 16 billion United States dollars over the past decade.
• Defence cooperation covers policy dialogue, joint exercises, co-production of defence technologies, and procurement of defence systems.
• The two sides reaffirmed support for peace, stability, security, and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

Indo-Pacific and Strategic Initiatives

Vietnam joined the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, which is India’s framework for maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. Cooperation in critical minerals, rare earths, and energy was included in the bilateral discussions. India describes Vietnam as a key partner in the Act East Policy and Vision SAGAR. The South China Sea is governed by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in maritime dispute discussions.