Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, accompanied by a high-level delegation (including several ministers, deputy ministers and business leaders), came on a State Visit to India from July 30 to August 1, 2024 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Prime Minister Chinh was given a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 1, after which he visited Raj Ghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. Thereafter, he held bilateral discussion with Prime Minister Modi, who also hosted a luncheon in his honour. Prime Minister Chinh also called on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. Also, he gave a talk on strategic policy matters at an event in Sapru House organised by the ICWA.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh of Vietnam and Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to further strengthen the Vietnam–India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, including increasing bilateral trade, which currently stands at $15 billion annually

During the bilateral discussions, both leaders agreed to further deepen the India-Vietnam relationship by increasing economic, strategic, and cultural ties. In recognition of the current geo-political realities, which calls for closer cooperation between New Delhi and Hanoi, both agreed to further strengthen the Vietnam–India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in all areas, including economy and increasing bilateral trade which currently is $15 billion annually.

Both leaders also recognised convergence in their world view and expressed support for a greater voice and role for the Global South in international affairs. Modi and Chinh appreciated multi-dimensional institutional mechanisms between the two countries in the fields of foreign policy, security and maritime domain, defence cooperation, parliamentary exchanges, trade and investment, agriculture, healthcare, civil aviation, information and communication technology, science and technology including space and nuclear technology, tourism and culture. They both agreed to intensify and strengthen the bilateral dialogue in various domains, including the Joint Commission for Economic, Trade, Scientific and Technological Cooperation for mutual benefit. They welcomed the signing of the Plan of Action for the implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the period of 2024-2028.

The leaders commended the effective implementation of the Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030 and agreed to further enhance defence cooperation, contributing to greater stability in the Indo-Pacific region

Both sides also agreed on the need for closer cooperation on removing trade barriers with a view to facilitating and enhancing bilateral trade. They concurred that the ongoing review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement should generate a more user-friendly, simple and trade-facilitative regime for both countries, the statement read. Both leaders agreed to continue efforts to promote investment flows between the two countries. Vietnam welcomed investment from India in infrastructure, high technology, source technology, clean technology, information technology, support and manufacturing industries, textile, automobile and materials industry, green agriculture, smart agriculture, innovation and startups, semiconductors, renewable energy and energy conservation projects, electricity generation, biogas and polyester fabrics, among others, in Vietnam.

Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Chinh commended the effective implementation of the Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030 and strengthening of defence cooperation between the two countries in recent years covering dialogues, training and capacity building cooperation, exchange of best practices, exercises, defence policy and industry cooperation. They further agreed to further enhance defence cooperation based on mutual interest and priorities of the two countries which will also contribute to greater stability in the wider Indo-Pacific region.

Both sides emphasised the importance of removing trade barriers and facilitating investment flows, with Vietnam welcoming Indian investment in sectors like high technology, clean technology, and renewable energy

The two leaders appreciated bilateral development cooperation under the framework of Mekong-Ganga Cooperation through quick impact projects, ITEC training and educational scholarships. They appreciated the establishment of the Centre of Excellence for Software Development and Training at the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City with Indian cooperation. Both leaders reiterated the significance of digital technologies and encouraged the development of a framework to promote bilateral cooperation in financial innovation and digital payments between Vietnam and India.

They supported further strengthening of the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership which complements bilateral relations with respective Member States. The leaders appreciated the ASEAN-India Joint Statement on Cooperation on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) for Peace, Stability, and Prosperity in the Region which provides opportunities for further cooperation between the AOIP and Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.

During Prime Minister Chih's visit, India and Vietnam signed nine agreements to deepen strategic partnership and enhance cooperation. These nine agreements were to deepen comprehensive strategic partnership and enhance cooperation in the fields of customs, agriculture, legal, radio and television broadcast, culture and tourism.

India and Vietnam signed nine agreements during Prime Minister Chinh's visit, aimed at deepening strategic partnerships in areas such as customs, agriculture, and culture

In his press statement at Hyderabad House after bilateral talks, Prime Minister Modi said Vietnam is an "important partner" in India's Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific vision. He said there is good coordination between the two countries in their views concerning the Indo-Pacific. Prime Minister Chinh emphasised that the New Delhi-Hanoi strategic partnership has entered a new period and extended an invitation to Prime Minister Modi to visit Vietnam.

India and Vietnam are both members of the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, created to develop and enhance close ties between India and nations of Southeast Asia. In 2003, India and Vietnam envisaged creating an "Arc of Advantage and Prosperity" in Southeast Asia. Vietnam has backed increasing the significance of the relationship between India and ASEAN and its negotiation of an Indo-ASEAN free trade agreement (FTA). India and Vietnam celebrated 2017 as a "Year of Friendship" to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Strategic Partnership.

In August 2021, the Indian Navy dispatched a task force of four warships on a two-month long operational deployment to Southeast Asia, the South China Sea and the Western Pacific Ocean. Two ships, guided-missile destroyer INS 'Ranvijay' and an anti-submarine corvette INS 'Kora', arrived at Cam Ranh Bay on August 15 and conducted surface warfare exercises, weapon firing drills and helicopter operations with the Vietnamese Navy. The Indian Navy's task force also held bilateral exercises with the navies of the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia and Australia.

India and Vietnam have age-old historical and civilisation ties. However, these relations were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Vietnam in September 2016. India considers Vietnam as a key pillar of its Act East Policy and an important partner in its Indo-Pacific vision. The India-Vietnam partnership has all the constituents to keep rising to greater heights.