Vietnam-India relations are developing strongly.

Following the conclusion of General Secretary and President To Lam's state visit to India from May 5-7, a VNA reporter in New Delhi interviewed former Deputy National Security Advisor SD Pradhan of India about the results and strategic significance of the visit.

Báo Nhân dân•10/05/2026

General Secretary and President To Lam and Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis witnessed the signing ceremony of cooperation agreements between the two countries. (Photo: VNA)

According to Mr. SD Pradhan, the greatest significance of the visit lies in ushering India-Vietnam relations into a new phase of development, shifting from a foundation of traditional friendship to a multifaceted, substantive, and future-oriented strategic cooperation framework. The upgrading of relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership further reflects the increasingly deep convergence of geopolitical , economic, maritime interests and civilizational connectivity.

During the visit, the two sides signed 13 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs), and announced five major initiatives, demonstrating that bilateral cooperation is no longer limited to traditional areas such as politics and defense, but has expanded strongly into new fields such as digital technology , artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, rare earth elements, pharmaceuticals, logistics, tourism, and cultural heritage preservation.

Some notable agreements include cooperation on rare earth and critical minerals; digital and information technology; management of medical products, pharmaceuticals and medical devices; as well as promoting tourism cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

In addition, five major initiatives were announced, including upgrading bilateral relations, setting a target of $25 billion in bilateral trade by 2030, Vietnam's participation in the Indo-Pacific Initiative (IPOI) proposed by India, and opening up markets for certain agricultural products.

Former Deputy National Security Advisor of India, SD Pradhan. (Photo: VNA)

Former Indian Deputy National Security Advisor Pradhan stated that the visit has strategic significance in four main aspects:

Firstly, the visit institutionalized a higher level of cooperation, elevating the bilateral relationship from sectoral cooperation to a more comprehensive and sustainable strategic partnership.

Secondly, bilateral cooperation has expanded significantly beyond the traditional defense pillar into emerging areas such as AI, fintech, digital payments, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, rare earth elements, and cultural preservation.

Third, the visit demonstrated the strong convergence of the two countries on maritime issues and the Indo-Pacific vision. Vietnam's participation in the IPOI is considered a significant step, reflecting a shared commitment to peace, freedom of navigation, sustainable supply chains, and a rules-based regional order.

Fourth, both sides affirmed their determination to promote economic cooperation with the goal of achieving $25 billion in bilateral trade by 2030, expanding market access for agricultural products, and strengthening linkages in investment, production, and logistics.

According to Mr. Pradhan, the meetings of General Secretary and President To Lam with the business community in Mumbai show that Vietnam attaches particular importance to the private sector and wishes to promote cooperation in strategic areas of the future such as AI, clean energy, logistics, data centers and research and development.

According to the former Deputy National Security Advisor of India, to realize the commitments made during the visit, the most important thing is to build an effective implementation mechanism with a clear roadmap and a high-level monitoring mechanism. Both sides need to promote direct air connectivity between major economic centers, strengthen supply chain linkages, encourage private sector investment, and improve the business environment.

He also suggested that the two countries need to further strengthen cooperation in regional and global forums such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United Nations, and the Indo-Pacific frameworks, while promoting people-to-people exchanges, tourism, education, and spiritual tourism routes to create a sustainable social foundation for bilateral relations.

Mr. Pradhan emphasized: “The true success of the visit will be measured by the ability to translate agreements and MoUs into concrete projects in the fields of defense, trade, technology, and connectivity. If implemented effectively, the Vietnam-India relationship could become one of the most important bilateral relationships in Asia.”

Source: https://nhandan.vn/quan-he-viet-nam-an-do-dang-tren-quy-dao-phat-trien-manh-me-post961136.html