Vietnamese, Indian leaders meet the press in New Delhi

After witnessing the exchange of cooperation agreements between ministries, sectors and localities of the two countries, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the press in New Delhi on the afternoon of May 6.

Speaking at the briefing, PM Modi said the visit by General Secretary and President Lam would help further advance bilateral cooperation. He noted that Vietnam is India’s first strategic partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and that alongside cooperation in trade and science, the two sides had agreed to elevate ties to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

In the economic sphere, both sides set a target of raising bilateral trade to 25 billion USD by 2030 and agreed on several measures, including deeper cooperation in pharmaceuticals, promoting agricultural exchanges for mutual benefit, and updating the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement to create fresh momentum for trade and investment between those involved. They also underscored the importance of supply chain stability, infrastructure development, and new cooperation initiatives in strategic minerals, rare earths and energy to strengthen economic security and supply chain resilience, alongside enhanced collaboration between financial institutions.

Addressing the media, General Secretary and President Lam said that under the leadership of PM Modi, India has risen strongly, affirming its role as a major global centre for growth and innovation.

The Vietnamese leader noted that both sides highly valued more than 50 years of bilateral relations and a decade of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reaffirming that both countries attach high priority to further strengthening ties. The two sides shared strategic visions on regional and global issues and agreed on the importance of closer alignment in development strategies to better respond to evolving situations.

They agreed to further elevate bilateral relations to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership based on the spirit of “shared vision, strategic convergence and substantive cooperation”, with a view to deepening ties. They concurred to strengthen political trust, maintain high-level exchanges, enhance the effectiveness of existing cooperation mechanisms, and elevate defence and security cooperation into a strategic pillar to help ensure peace and stability.

The two countries also pledged to make tangible progress in economic, trade and investment cooperation, promote supply chain connectivity, remove barriers and expand market access. Science, technology, innovation and digital transformation were identified as new drivers of cooperation, opening up high value-added areas. In addition, both sides agreed to boost people-to-people, cultural, and educational exchanges, thereby reinforcing the social foundation of bilateral relations.

General Secretary and President Lam emphasised that both countries would continue to coordinate closely at regional and international forums, contributing to peace, stability, security and development based on respect for international law, the United Nations Charter and fundamental principles of international law. Vietnam also expressed support for India to play a greater role in multilateral mechanisms and affirmed its readiness to work closely with India in addressing shared regional and global challenges.

Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight, as well as resolving disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They agreed to promote activities within the framework of the ASEAN – India Year of Maritime Cooperation 2026, with Vietnam encouraging India to further strengthen connectivity with ASEAN and the Mekong subregion.

On this occasion, the two sides signed a number of important cooperation agreements and agreed to direct relevant ministries and agencies to promptly and effectively implement the outcomes reached, ushering Vietnam–India relations into a new stage of development./.