Vietnam Enhances Role as BRICS Partner, Deepening Ties with India

Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will attend the 18th BRICS Summit in India from September 12-13, 2026, and conduct bilateral working sessions. This visit holds special significance as it takes place in 2026, marking the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, a crucial milestone in bilateral relations. The visit is expected to significantly consolidate and enhance the traditional friendship and good cooperation between Vietnam and India. Vietnam's participation in BRICS activities within the expanded framework as a partner country demonstrates its responsible role, position, and contributions to global issues and the future of the region and the world. Vietnam and India share a long-standing traditional friendship, a precious asset for both nations. Diplomatic relations were established in 1972, and were upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in September 2016. In August 2024, the two countries adopted a Joint Statement on enhancing their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Bilateral relations across Party, state, parliamentary, and people-to-people channels have continuously expanded and deepened. The relationship reached a new high in May 2026 during the state visit to India by General Secretary and President To Lam, when leaders agreed to elevate ties to an 'Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership' based on the spirit of 'Sharing Vision, Converging Strategy, Substantive Cooperation,' ushering in a new era of development for bilateral relations. Trade is considered a crucial pillar of the enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and India. Economically, India is currently Vietnam's 8th largest trading partner, and Vietnam is India's 5th largest partner within ASEAN. Educational and training cooperation has yielded positive results, with India continuing to sponsor nearly 200 short and long-term scholarships annually for Vietnam. Tourism and people-to-people exchanges have also been strengthened and expanded. Indian tourists visiting Vietnam in the first six months of 2026 reached nearly 500,000, a 45.5% increase compared to the same period in 2025. India has provided funding and experts for the conservation and restoration of Cham towers at My Son. Scientific and technological cooperation is being promoted in areas aligned with the needs of both countries, particularly in innovation, robotics, startups, atomic energy, and biotechnology. Both sides have signed numerous cooperation documents and established a Joint Committee on the Peaceful Use of Atomic Energy, actively advancing collaboration in fields such as information technology and rare earths. BRICS was officially established during a meeting of Foreign Ministers from Brazil, Russia, China, and India on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September 2006. In 2010, with South Africa's accession, the group officially took the name BRICS. BRICS operates on a rotating presidency system without a permanent secretariat. In the 2024-2025 period, BRICS admitted six new members: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It also established a "Partner Country" mechanism with 10 nations: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam, thereby enhancing its position in global governance and its influence worldwide. Source: Nhan Dan