Decision No. 2618/QD-BKHCN, issued on September 11, 2025, outlines a prioritized list of shared digital platforms to support sector-specific digital transformation. The initiative marks a fundamental shift from fragmented IT projects to an integrated national digital infrastructure model.

The new platforms are designed not only to address data silos but also to establish standardized structures, ensuring synchronous development across key sectors such as industry, agriculture, energy, logistics, and science and technology.

The Ministry of Science and Technology has developed a detailed roadmap for implementing these 55 platforms across ministries, sectors, and provinces, including usage at the local level where applicable. This approach aims to eliminate redundant investments and streamline digital efforts nationwide.

Thirteen platforms fall under the Ministry of Public Security, including the national e-identification and authentication platform, the national data portal, cloud computing infrastructure, national blockchain and high-performance computing centers, and cybersecurity platforms.

The Ministry of Finance oversees ten platforms, such as the national digital finance database, electronic tax and customs platforms, open budget transparency systems, and a national e-auction management system.

From fragmented systems to unified digital infrastructure

For years, digital transformation in Vietnam has been fragmented. Government agencies and businesses often built isolated applications and databases without interoperability in mind. This siloed approach created three major barriers to progress.

First, it increased operational and investment costs as hundreds of entities developed similar systems in parallel. Second, fragmented data made it difficult to analyze, forecast, or make evidence-based decisions. Third, the lack of common technical standards prevented Vietnamese tech firms from developing scalable solutions, stifling innovation.

Decision 2618 addresses these challenges through three core principles:

One investment, multiple uses – Platforms must serve multiple sectors and levels of government.

Standardized data design – From inception, platforms must enable integration and reuse across systems.

Open ecosystems – Platforms should be developed openly, allowing tech firms to build higher-value services atop them.

This marks a shift from project-based thinking to ecosystem-based strategy, from standalone initiatives to long-term, unified digital infrastructure.

Vietnam's new direction aligns with global leaders like Estonia, South Korea, and Singapore, where unified data systems are foundational to robust digital economies. Shared platforms function like electricity grids or transport networks  -  the more users they serve, the greater the economic efficiency.

Core platform groups outlined in Decision 2618

1. Sectoral data platforms

These form the foundational layer of digital infrastructure. Platforms for industry, agriculture, energy, logistics, and science and technology are designed using an interoperable architecture, ensuring real-time data flows and standardized storage.

For regulators, this enables live monitoring of supply-demand trends. For businesses, it unlocks smart production planning, digital product creation, and AI-powered market forecasting  -  essential to forming a robust national data marketplace and ensuring a sustainable digital economy.

2. Smart manufacturing and supply chain platforms

These platforms directly impact productivity, especially in manufacturing. IoT-based production monitoring allows real-time tracking of machinery and operational metrics. Digital supply chain systems connect suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers in a single ecosystem, reducing delays and waste.

Multi-sector traceability platforms also play a critical role in meeting international transparency requirements, especially for agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and electronics.

3. Standards and quality management platforms

Though less visible, these platforms are vital for product quality and compliance. Standardization and digital testing systems help businesses shorten product certification times, cut costs, and enhance traceability.

Digitalizing these processes strengthens global competitiveness  -  particularly critical as Vietnam integrates deeper into global value chains.

4. Innovation and IP platforms

These include platforms for open innovation, intellectual property management, and technology trend analysis, enabling seamless collaboration among research institutes, startups, and enterprises.

Centralized and transparent IP management facilitates commercialization of research outcomes  -  key to shifting Vietnam from a low-cost labor model to one driven by knowledge and technology.

Nationwide impact: Cost savings, productivity, and policy intelligence

The shared platform strategy promises benefits far beyond individual sectors.

First, it reduces digital infrastructure costs. A unified system allows agencies to share core technologies and monitoring tools, avoiding the waste of fragmented, duplicate projects. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) gain affordable access to advanced tools without building their own infrastructure  -  narrowing the digital divide.

Second, data standardization enables the emergence of sectoral data markets. Tech companies can build innovative services atop open datasets, creating a vibrant application ecosystem. This improves transparency, lowers business risks, and enhances responsive policymaking.

Third, labor productivity will see significant gains. Smart production and supply chain platforms cut waste, optimize machinery, and reduce order processing errors. These efficiencies compound over time, potentially transforming sectors like textiles, footwear, electronics, and engineering.

Finally, real-time data access improves state governance. Data-driven policymaking minimizes subjectivity, improves responsiveness, and elevates decision quality across all levels of government.

Making shared digital platforms a true growth engine

To maximize the value of shared platforms, four critical enablers must be addressed:

Legal frameworks and data standards

Vietnam must issue unified data standards for each sector  -  covering everything from product identification to supply chain and land-use data. Clear legal guidance on data sharing and protection is essential to safeguard privacy and cybersecurity.

Unified technical architecture

Platforms must comply with national digital government architecture, using open APIs, consistent data formats, and robust security standards. Without technical alignment, platforms risk reverting to isolated silos.
Sustainable operating models

The government should define standards and ensure system safety, while tech firms develop and manage services. This model reduces budget burdens and encourages private-sector innovation, creating healthy market dynamics for long-term development.

Capacity building for effective use

Platforms are only valuable when users can apply them. Government bodies and businesses need training in data analytics, digital supply chain management, and smart production operations. Improved digital skills are essential to unlocking economic value.

Decision 2618 is more than a technical list of platforms  -  it is a strategic roadmap to building Vietnam’s “soft infrastructure” for digital economic transformation.

When sectoral data platforms, smart production tools, quality governance systems, and innovation ecosystems are fully implemented, Vietnam will be positioned to boost productivity, reduce costs, and build a vibrant national data economy.

Thai Khang