External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday, 14 September 2026, described Vietnam as a critical partner in India's regional outreach, specifically under the Act East Policy, the MAHASAGAR vision, and the broader Indo-Pacific framework. His remarks came during the 19th session of the India-Vietnam Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation, held in New Delhi.

What Jaishankar Said at the Joint Commission

In his opening remarks at the JCM, Jaishankar welcomed Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and his delegation, calling the meeting 'a very valuable opportunity to review the implementation of commitments which have been made, and to translate the political momentum at the highest level into concrete, tangible outcomes for our people.'

He further underlined Vietnam's centrality to India's strategic calculus: 'Vietnam, for us, is a key partner in India's Act East policy, in our vision Mahasagar, in our outlook of the Indo-Pacific. Vietnam is equally an important partner in the framework of our comprehensive strategic partnership with ASEAN,' he stated.

Elevated Bilateral Ties and State Visits

Jaishankar noted that India-Vietnam bilateral relations had progressed significantly since the previous JCM, held three years ago. He highlighted two state-level visits from Vietnam in the intervening period, with the most recent being the state visit of General Secretary and President To Lam in May 2026.

During that visit, the two countries elevated the relationship to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Notably, Jaishankar pointed out that 'Vietnam is the first country in the region with which we have bilateral ties at that level' — a significant diplomatic distinction underscoring the depth of the India-Vietnam partnership within Southeast Asia.

BRICS Participation and Modi-Hung Meeting

The EAM also thanked Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung for his participation as a partner country at the 18th BRICS Summit, hosted in New Delhi from 12 to 13 September 2026 under India's chairship.

On the sidelines of the same BRICS Summit on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and discussed deepening defence and security cooperation, including a proposed 2+2 dialogue mechanism. The two leaders also discussed expanding cooperation in energy, rare earths, and space, and working toward a target of USD 25 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.

In a post on X, Modi stated: 'Vietnam will always remain a key pillar of India's Act East Policy and MAHASAGAR vision,' adding that the two sides discussed 'strengthening our deep cultural and civilisational linkages.'

Strategic Significance of the MAHASAGAR Vision

The MAHASAGAR vision — an acronym for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions — represents India's expanded maritime and diplomatic engagement with Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific neighbours. Vietnam's position along critical South China Sea sea lanes makes it a pivotal node in this framework.

This comes amid heightened regional tensions in the South China Sea, where both India and Vietnam share overlapping strategic concerns. The 19th JCM and the back-to-back BRICS-level engagement suggest New Delhi is methodically converting high-level political momentum into a structured, institutionalised partnership with Hanoi.

What Comes Next

The JCM's outcomes are expected to translate into concrete deliverables across trade, technology, and defence cooperation. With a USD 25 billion bilateral trade target by 2030 now on record and a proposed 2+2 security mechanism under discussion, India and Vietnam appear set to formalise the Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into action-oriented frameworks in the months ahead.