Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Sept. 12.

Le Minh Hung congratulated India and Modi on the success of the 2026 BRICS Summit as well as the country’s significant economic and social achievements.

The Vietnamese prime minister praised Modi’s Global South initiative and affirmed Vietnam’s readiness to work with India to contribute to BRICS initiatives in 2026, particularly in innovation, digital transformation, clean energy and sustainable development.

Le Minh Hung stressed that amid volatility in the region and around the world, Vietnam and India have remained close, steadfast and trusted friends.

Bilateral relations were upgraded to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the visit by Communist Party General Secretary and State President To Lam in May. The upgrade reflected the depth of bilateral ties, the maturity of political trust, a shared vision and converging strategic interests, while opening up broader opportunities for future cooperation.

Vietnam and India share many similarities in their development perspectives, goals and policies, creating opportunities for the two countries to work together across a wide range of fields.

Modi praised Vietnam’s participation in BRICS and said its presence had elevated the summit. He highlighted the countries’ longstanding traditional relationship and their connections through history, culture and civilization, as well as similarities in foreign policy and their shared development vision.

Modi also affirmed that Vietnam is an important pillar of India’s Act East Policy.

The two leaders agreed that Vietnam and India are among the world’s fastest-growing economies, with highly complementary strengths and significant untapped potential for cooperation.

They called for stronger measures to achieve the target of $25 billion in bilateral trade and improve market access for products from both countries, particularly pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, fisheries and livestock products.

Le Minh Hung proposed establishing economic corridors and supply chains to strengthen connectivity between the two economies and considering the launch of negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement.

He also welcomed investment by major Indian corporations in Vietnam in technology, infrastructure, energy and pharmaceuticals.

The two prime ministers emphasized the importance of connectivity by road, rail, air and sea. They agreed to explore railway connectivity projects, develop a corridor linking South and Southeast Asia, and strengthen connections between the two countries’ seaports as part of Asia-Europe maritime routes.

Le Minh Hung also called on India to further increase the frequency of direct flights between major cities in the two countries.

The leaders agreed to hold the first meeting under the Foreign Affairs-Defense Dialogue mechanism soon.

In science and technology, Le Minh Hung proposed the early development of a Vietnam-India technology connectivity strategy focusing on key sectors including artificial intelligence and 5G and 6G mobile technologies.

He also proposed cooperation programs to train AI and semiconductor engineers and provide digital technology training for young people.

Le Minh Hung called for increased cultural and sporting exchanges, yoga activities and Buddhist exchanges in 2027, marking the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and India.

The Vietnamese prime minister invited Modi to visit Vietnam again at an early date. Modi accepted the invitation and suggested that the two sides arrange a suitable time.

Modi expressed support for Le Minh Hung’s proposals and affirmed that the Indian government would continue working to advance cooperation across various fields and make bilateral relations deeper and more substantive.

Vietnam a notable example of WTO success

Also on Sept. 12, Le Minh Hung met World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The prime minister said Vietnam has consistently participated actively and responsibly in the WTO’s agenda and supports the organization in continuing its coordinating role in promoting global trade.

Vietnam wants the WTO to continue its reform process to meet emerging demands and expand its agenda into areas including digital trade, AI, green transformation, climate change and supply-chain resilience.

Le Minh Hung also called on the WTO to continue projects and initiatives that help Vietnam build capacity, provide advanced training in trade policy and offer legal advice on resolving international disputes.

Okonjo-Iweala congratulated Vietnam on its impressive economic achievements, saying the country’s macroeconomic indicators reflected the government’s strong macroeconomic management capabilities.

After nearly 20 years of WTO membership, from 2007 to 2027, Vietnam stands as a notable example of the success of the WTO and the rules-based multilateral trading system, she said.

The WTO director-general expressed hope that Vietnam would share its experience in development and international economic integration with other developing countries.

She said Vietnam was moving in the right direction by continuing to diversify its markets, products and supply chains while moving into higher levels of the value chain, particularly in high-value products related to artificial intelligence, semiconductors and microprocessors.

The WTO will continue to accompany and support Vietnam in its international economic integration and hopes the country will support both WTO reform and the accession process for countries seeking membership.

Tran Thuong