A new phase in the India-Vietnam strategic partnership
The state visit of Vietnamese President Tô Lâm to India last week (May 5-7, 2026) marks a consequential moment in the steady deepening of India-Vietnam ties, reflecting both the maturation of a long-standing partnership amid the sharpening strategic imperatives of the Indo-Pacific. The decision to elevate bilateral relations to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, along with a wide range of agreements spanning defence, technology, finance, and energy, signals not merely incremental progress but a qualitative shift in the trajectory of the relationship.
The visit comes at a time of heightened geopolitical flux in the Indo-Pacific as Vietnam finds itself navigating an increasingly assertive China in the South China Sea, while India continues to consolidate its Act East policy into a more security-oriented Indo-Pacific strategy. The convergence of threat perceptions, particularly regarding maritime coercion, supply chain vulnerabilities, and strategic autonomy, has provided a durable foundation for bilateral engagement. Indeed, the evolution of India-Vietnam ties has been gradual but structurally consistent, with India’s erstwhile Look East (now Act East) policy providing the initial impetus and the elevation to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2016 enabling institutionalised defence and security cooperation. Since then, regular high-level exchanges, defence dialogues, and capacity-building initiatives have deepened trust.
The pillar of defence cooperation
Defence cooperation, in particular, has emerged as the backbone of the partnership. In addition to symbolic actions such as the transfer of the missile corvette, INS Kirpan (in 2023), India has offered Vietnam finance lines, training assistance, and maritime cooperation structures. The current debates around the possible shipment of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles demonstrate a change in the deterrence calculation in the South China Sea from capacity-building to capability enhancement.
Similarly, economic ties, while less prominent historically, are now acquiring greater salience. Bilateral trade has crossed $16 billion, with an ambitious target of $25 billion by 2030, underscoring the recognition of untapped potential. A move toward next-generation economic participation is shown in the focus on supply chain resilience, rare earth collaboration, and digital payment integration. Moreover, Vietnam’s position as an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) manufacturing powerhouse makes it an essential partner for India’s diversification plans, especially in terms of scaling back reliance on supply chains that are mostly focused on China.
The regional impact
This deepening partnership has important regional ramifications. First, the relationship between India and Vietnam forms an important component of minilateral balancing in the Indo-Pacific.
Together with Japan, Australia, and the United States, both nations contribute to a wider network of strategic alliances that fight to maintain a rules-based maritime order, even if they are not legally included in U.S.-led alliance structures. A common normative framework intended to combat unilateralism in the South China Sea is shown in the explicit focus of joint statements on the “rule of law, peace, and stability”.
Second, the partnership underscores the growing centrality of ASEAN in India’s Indo-Pacific vision. Vietnam, as one of ASEAN’s more geopolitically assertive and strategically consequential members, serves as a linchpin for India’s deeper engagement with Southeast Asia. At the same time, Hanoi’s own foreign policy, characterised by diversification and strategic hedging, finds a natural complement in India’s multipronged partnership approach.
Third, the expansion of cooperation into areas such as critical minerals and emerging technologies points to the evolving nature of strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific. Partnerships such as the India-Vietnam partnership will be crucial in shaping alternative economic architectures as global supply chains become more securitised. The agreements made during the visit point to an effort to move beyond conventional economic ties in favour of a more comprehensive framework for economic security.
Structural issues
Looking ahead, the trajectory of India-Vietnam ties will depend on the ability of both sides to translate strategic intent into operational outcomes. Implementation gaps, particularly in trade, connectivity, and defence industrial cooperation, remain despite the strong political and strategic alignment. For example, navigating scientific, financial, and geopolitical obstacles will be necessary to realise defence exports such as BrahMos. In a similar vein, resolving structural obstacles, including logistics, legal frameworks, and private sector involvement, will be necessary to meet the ambitious trade goals.
India-Vietnam relations are likely to become increasingly embedded within the evolving architecture of the Indo-Pacific. Partnerships that combine functional cooperation with strategic trust will become more important as great power competition heats up. Hence, Mr. Tô Lâm’s visit is more about marking the beginning of bilateral ties as a mature, multifaceted partnership than about a single diplomatic milestone.
Harsh V. Pant is Vice-President for Studies at the Observer Research Foundation and Professor of International Relations at King’s College London; Pratnashree Basu is an Associate Fellow – Indo-Pacific, Strategic Studies Programme at the Observer Research Foundation
Published – May 12, 2026 12:08 am IST
