Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday, 6 May 2025, held a bilateral meeting with Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Gen Phan Van Giang in New Delhi, with discussions centred on strengthening defence cooperation between the two nations. Singh underscored India's readiness to take the strategic partnership with Vietnam to a deeper level.

"Had an excellent meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Vietnam Gen Phan Van Giang in New Delhi. India cherishes the long-standing ties with Vietnam. Our talks focussed on adding more vigour to the defence cooperation between India and Vietnam. The recent developments reflect the positive momentum in our engagement. Looking forward to further deepen our strategic partnership," Singh posted on X.

Modi–To Lam Summit at Hyderabad House

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vietnamese President To Lam held wide-ranging talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. The discussions spanned defence and security, trade and investment, science and technology, development partnership, maritime cooperation, critical and rare earth minerals, space, renewable energy including atomic energy, and culture and people-to-people linkages.

The two leaders agreed to elevate bilateral ties to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership — a significant upgrade — and announced a target to expand bilateral trade to USD 25 billion by 2030. Vietnam has also formally joined the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).

Key Announcements and Agreements

PM Modi announced India's assistance in establishing a Site Interpretation Centre at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of My Son Temple Complex in Vietnam. Both leaders agreed to grant mutual market access for Indian grapes and Vietnamese Durians, a move that signals deepening agricultural and trade ties.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted that Modi expressed gratitude to Vietnam for "strongly condemning the Pahalgam terrorist attack" and for standing with India in its fight against terrorism. "The substantive discussions today underscored the commitment of both sides to further strengthen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which contributes to peace, stability and prosperity in the region," Jaiswal posted on X.

Strategic Context and Historical Ties

This visit holds particular significance as it coincides with the 10th anniversary of the elevation of India-Vietnam relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, first agreed during PM Modi's visit to Vietnam in 2016. The two nations share deep historical and civilisational ties that have steadily grown over decades.

President To Lam is on a three-day State Visit to India — his first since being elected President of Vietnam last month. The MEA noted that "the engagement between leaders is expected to provide fresh momentum to the robust bilateral relations and open new avenues for cooperation."

What This Means for the Region

The upgrade to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, combined with Vietnam's entry into IPOI, signals a clear intent by both nations to deepen alignment in the Indo-Pacific — a region where maritime security and rare earth supply chains are increasingly contested. This is the third high-level India-Vietnam engagement in under two years, reflecting a consistent upward trajectory in bilateral relations. With the USD 25 billion trade target now formalised, both sides face the task of translating diplomatic momentum into measurable economic outcomes.