India-Vietnam ties elevated to Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
Synopsis
India and Vietnam have formally elevated their bilateral relationship to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with PM Modi hailing Vietnam as a key pillar of India's Act East Policy. The upgrade — announced just one month after To Lam became Vietnam's President — signals a strategic acceleration in ties spanning defence, trade, and Indo-Pacific alignment.
Key Takeaways
PM Modi and Vietnamese President To Lam elevated India-Vietnam ties to Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on 6 May 2025 .
Vietnam was India's first Comprehensive Strategic Partner in ASEAN , a status established during Modi's first visit a decade ago.
More than 1.5 crore people had darshan of Buddhist relics exhibited in Vietnam in 2025 , underscoring civilisational ties.
India thanked Vietnam for condemning the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
Modi described Vietnam as a key pillar of India's Act East Policy and Vision Mahasagar .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, 6 May announced that bilateral ties between India and Vietnam have been elevated to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, marking a significant upgrade in the two nations' diplomatic relationship. The announcement was made during a joint press conference with Vietnamese President To Lam following their talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.
A Decade of Deepening Ties
Modi recalled that a decade ago, during his first visit to Vietnam, the country became India's first Comprehensive Strategic Partner in ASEAN. Addressing the joint press meet, he said,
Point of View
But the real signal is the speed — To Lam visited India within a month of assuming the Vietnamese presidency, a pointed demonstration of prioritisation. India's gratitude to Vietnam for condemning the Pahalgam attack also reveals how New Delhi is actively mapping which partners stand with it on counter-terrorism, folding geopolitical loyalty tests into what are ostensibly bilateral economic summits. With China pressing on both nations' peripheries in the South China Sea and the Himalayas, the Indo-Pacific alignment language is less boilerplate and more load-bearing.
NationPress
11 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Vietnam?
It is an upgraded framework for India-Vietnam bilateral relations announced on 6 May 2025 by PM Modi and Vietnamese President To Lam at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. The elevation builds on the existing Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and deepens cooperation across defence, trade, technology, tourism, and Indo-Pacific security.
Why did Vietnamese President To Lam visit India?
President To Lam visited India within one month of assuming the Vietnamese presidency, accompanied by a high-level delegation and business leaders. The visit signalled the priority Vietnam accords to its relationship with India and resulted in the formal upgrade of bilateral ties.
What is India's Act East Policy and how does Vietnam fit into it?
India's Act East Policy is a diplomatic initiative to cultivate economic and strategic relationships with Southeast and East Asian nations. PM Modi described Vietnam as a 'key pillar' of this policy, as well as of Vision Mahasagar, India's broader Indo-Pacific maritime outreach.
What was the significance of President To Lam starting his visit from Bodh Gaya?
To Lam began his India visit from Bodh Gaya, a site of deep Buddhist significance. PM Modi noted this reflected the shared civilisational and spiritual heritage between India and Vietnam, with over 1.5 crore people having had darshan of Buddhist relics exhibited in Vietnam in 2025.
Why did India thank Vietnam during the joint press conference?
PM Modi expressed gratitude to Vietnam for strongly condemning the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and for standing with India in its fight against terrorism, underscoring the two nations' alignment on security issues.
