The fourth India-Vietnam Policy Planning Dialogue took place in Delhi on Tuesday, according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The meeting was co-chaired by Raghuram S, Joint Secretary (Policy Planning and Research), MEA, and Le Dinh Tinh, Director General of the Policy Planning Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Vietnam. Discussions covered a broad range of geopolitical issues, the statement said.
The dialogue provided an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on regional and global matters, including developments in the Indo-Pacific region, the functioning of multilateral institutions, and priorities of the Global South.
Following the discussions, the Vietnamese delegation, led by Director General Le Dinh Tinh, met with Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East) of the MEA.
India and Vietnam share traditionally strong bilateral ties, designated as a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Mahatma Gandhi and President Ho Chi Minh, who led their respective nations in their independence struggles, had exchanged messages of solidarity. India also played a key role as Co-Chairman of the International Commission for Supervision and Control established under the 1954 Geneva Accord.
India initially maintained Consulate-level relations with both North and South Vietnam, before formally establishing diplomatic relations with Vietnam on January 7, 1972. Since then, the relationship has steadily deepened.
In 2016, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Vietnam, the relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This upgrade followed a Joint Vision for Peace, Prosperity, and People, adopted during the Virtual Summit on December 21, 2020, between PM Modi and then-Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
On April 15, 2022, Prime Minister Modi and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong held a telephonic discussion, further strengthening diplomatic ties. In 2022, India and Vietnam celebrated the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and continue to work closely to expand their multi-dimensional cooperation.
(With ANI inputs)
