New Delhi, April 9 (NationPress) - Defence Minister Rajnath Singh warmly congratulated General Phan Van Giang following his recent appointment as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence of Vietnam. Singh expressed India's anticipation of enhancing their enduring defence collaboration.

On April 8, General Phan Van Giang was officially designated as the Deputy Prime Minister while also serving as the Minister of National Defence. This appointment was ratified by Vietnam's 16th National Assembly during its inaugural session, marking the commencement of the new government for the 2026–2031 term under Prime Minister Le Minh Hung. He joins five other officials in the Deputy Prime Minister role.

In a post on platform X, Singh conveyed, "Sincere congratulations to General Phan Van Giang on his dual appointment as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam."

He expressed optimism regarding the future of the India-Vietnam partnership, emphasizing that it will flourish in the coming years.

“India is eager to further enhance our long-standing defence relations and broaden collaboration in security, military exchanges, and defence industry partnerships under your esteemed leadership. I am confident our partnership will strengthen significantly in the years to come,” the Defence Minister remarked.

Previously, on April 7, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated To Lam on his election as President of Vietnam, expressing readiness to collaborate on deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

He stated his belief that the long-standing friendship between India and Vietnam will continue to thrive under To Lam’s guidance.

"Heartfelt congratulations to Mr. To Lam on his election as President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. I am confident that under his leadership, the enduring friendship between our two nations will continue to flourish. I look forward to closely collaborating to enhance our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the advancement and prosperity of our people and the broader region," PM Modi shared on X.

PM Modi's message followed the confirmation of To Lam as the country's president for the 2026-2031 term by Vietnam's National Assembly on April 7.

India and Vietnam maintain strong and amicable bilateral relations, recognized as a comprehensive strategic partnership. The relationship was elevated to a 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership' during PM Modi's 2016 visit to Vietnam, according to a statement from the Indian Embassy in Vietnam.

The trajectory of India-Vietnam relations is driven by a "Joint Vision for Peace, Prosperity, and People," which was adopted by PM Modi and former Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc during a Virtual Summit on December 21, 2020.

In 2022, India and Vietnam marked the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, with both nations actively working to amplify their multi-dimensional cooperation.