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The state visit by Vietnam’s General Secretary and President To Lam to India is an opportunity for both countries to consolidate and strengthen bilateral relations, creating new momentum and shaping a framework for cooperation at a higher level.
At a press briefing, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong said the visit is an important foreign policy event with special significance, noting that it is the first time the General Secretary and President visits India in his new capacity. The trip also coincides with the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and India (2016-2026).
Deputy Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong said the visit reflects Vietnam’s high regard for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with India and for the South Asia region more broadly. He added that the trip will allow the two sides to review the implementation of the 10-year framework and create new momentum for bilateral cooperation.
The deputy minister said the visit will also highlight the orientations and objectives of both countries in sharing a common vision and strategic interests, ensuring that each remains a priority in foreign policy. He said the two sides will exchange views on issues of mutual concern and strengthen support for each other in regional and international forums.
He described the state visit as evidence of the foreign policy line of Vietnam’s Party and State in the new era, emphasizing independence, self-reliance, resilience, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, and multipolar and diversified external relations.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong also said Vietnam reaffirms its position as a friend and reliable partner and an active, responsible member of the international community, including through proactive participation in addressing regional and international issues.
On recent achievements and expectations for the visit, Deputy Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong said India is a traditional partner in South Asia that Vietnam values and hopes to further elevate. He said bilateral relations have developed steadily, with a qualitative shift since the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was established in 2016.
He noted that the two countries have more than 20 bilateral cooperation mechanisms across different fields and have signed many important cooperation documents guiding the relationship. He said political trust has been reinforced through high-level visits, and that defense-security cooperation is deep, including training and joint exercises.
On economic and trade ties, the deputy minister said bilateral trade turnover has been around 15-16 billion USD per year in recent years. He added that India ranks among the top 10 trading partners of Vietnam. Two-way investment, he said, continues to expand with nearly 500 projects, with further room for breakthroughs.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong said Vietnam and India are expanding cooperation into new areas including science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, clean energy, and satellite data. He also said cultural exchanges and people-to-people exchanges are developing robustly.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong said General Secretary To Lam is expected to have a program in New Delhi and in Mumbai, described as the most developed economic-financial and technological hub.
He said discussions are expected to focus on strategic directions to boost cooperation and create breakthroughs in potential areas such as science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, healthcare, clean energy, and infrastructure, while also promoting people-to-people exchanges, culture and religion.
In addition to talks and high-level meetings, the deputy minister said practical activities are planned, including finance forums and promotion of science and technology and innovation.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong said the visit is expected to expand the space for cooperation, broaden trade and investment, strengthen supply chains, and promote science-and-technology cooperation to attract resources for development.
He added that the state visit demonstrates shared determination to elevate the traditional friendship and strategic depth of Vietnam-India relations. Vietnam expects the trip to become an important political milestone, shaping the relationship at a higher level and delivering tangible benefits to people and enterprises, while contributing to each country’s sustainable development goals and to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region.
Huy Khai
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