General Secretary, President To Lam and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, May 6, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Could you assess the significance of Prime Minister Le Minh Hung's participation in the 2026 BRICS Summit and holding bilateral meetings in India?

We attach immense importance to this visit, particularly as it marks Prime Minister Le Minh Hung’s first visit to India in his new capacity. The visit takes place on the eve of the 18th BRICS Summit.

India and Vietnam are civilizational partners bound by deep trust, mutual respect, and solidarity. In practical terms, this is reflected in our shared commitment to upholding the rule of law and freedom of navigation. In today’s global landscape, it is vital that this voice of reason and mutual respect resonates at the BRICS Summit, which will bring together nearly 30 heads of state and government, as well as leaders of international institutions. We therefore regard the Prime Minister’s visit as an event of great significance.

Recently, the two countries upgraded their relations during General Secretary and President To Lam's visit (May 2026) to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. How do you think Prime Minister Le Minh Hung's bilateral meetings in India will motivate the newly upgraded framework?

This is a very special year, as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). As you mentioned, our relationship was elevated even further following General Secretary and President To Lam’s visit earlier this year.

Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Tshering Wangchuk Sherpa in an interview with the World and Vietnam Report. (Photo: Anh Duc)

Looking ahead to the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year, this visit, coming just four months after the General Secretary and President To Lam’s visit, will provide an excellent opportunity for the leaders of both countries to review the progress we have made and provide strategic guidance to our ministries and officials to take this partnership even further.

As my Prime Minister has stated, the recent high-level visits have ushered in a “golden era” for the India-Vietnam partnership.

Regarding the goal of achieving 25 billion USD in bilateral trade by 2030, what recommendations do you have for the two countries to realize this target soon? What are the key areas both countries are focusing on?

Let us look back a decade. In 2016, our bilateral trade stood at US$8 billion, while last year it reached nearly 18 billion USD. This is impressive growth. However, speaking as an Ambassador, I personally believe that we should have reached the US$25 billion mark earlier.

Trade and commerce are among the most important pillars of our partnership, and there remains immense untapped potential for the two sides to complement each other. Since May 2026, we have held extensive discussions with Vietnamese agencies and businesses. We are actively promoting cooperation in areas such as energy, pharmaceuticals and healthcare.

In particular, with regard to agricultural market access, we recently approved the export of Indian grapes to Vietnam and Vietnamese durian to India. Pomegranates, pomelos and a number of other products are expected to follow.

To accelerate this process, we need a two-pronged approach. The first is at the government level. Our Vice Minister of Commerce will soon visit Vietnam to co-chair the Joint Sub-Commission on Trade and Commerce. The second is to promote direct connections between businesses through Business-to-Business (B2B) engagement.

Additionally, innovation, science and technology, and digital transformation are being considered new growth drivers. It is time for us to move beyond discussions and deliver tangible outcomes. In October, on the occasion of the Autumn Economic Forum in Ho Chi Minh City, we will host the “India-Vietnam Future Technology Forum”. Our Vice Minister of Electronics and Information Technology will lead a large delegation of major Indian technology companies to Vietnam for direct engagement with their Vietnamese counterparts.

Both Vietnam and India are proud to have young and dynamic populations, with a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a strong desire to contribute. In future-oriented fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum computing and science and technology more broadly, India has significant strengths, while Vietnam also has its own areas of expertise. Bringing together the strengths of the two sides in these fields will undoubtedly open up a very promising future.

This is the fourth time India has hosted the BRICS Summit. (Photo: The Hindustan Times)

Vietnam became a partner country of BRICS in June 2025. What contributions does India expect from Vietnam to the priorities and agenda of this Summit, Ambassador?

This is the fourth time India is hosting the BRICS Summit. This year’s theme is “Building Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized that the core approach of BRICS should be “people-centric”, a philosophy that is fully aligned with Vietnam’s development trajectory.

When we look at Vietnam’s Vision 2045 and India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 (Developed India 2047), there are striking parallels. With regard to the four pillars mentioned above, I firmly believe that Vietnam has a great deal to offer and share within this multilateral framework.

Fundamentally, BRICS is a prime example of a diverse and multipolar world order, representing almost 49% of the world’s population and 46% of global GDP. There will naturally be differences, as there are in any family, but what matters most is that we continue moving forward together and amplifying the voice of the Global South. Vietnam’s participation as a partner country will undoubtedly bring mutual benefits to both Vietnam and the BRICS community.

Vietnam will host APEC 2027. From India's perspective, a major economic partner in the region, how do you perceive Vietnam's opportunities to enhance its position and create regional imprints through this event?

First of all, I would like to congratulate Vietnam on the honor of hosting APEC for the third time.

I believe Vietnam’s position on the international stage is already very strong, and it does not need to wait for a summit to affirm that. Vietnam has consistently been a responsible and active member of the United Nations and is highly respected by the multilateral community. You represent a voice of maturity and reason.

However, with around 16 to 17 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), a strong commitment to economic integration, and a position as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, APEC 2027 will undoubtedly provide an excellent platform for Vietnam to further strengthen its global standing.

Imagine having all the leaders gathered in your country. This will be a golden opportunity for Vietnam to shape the narratives and initiatives aimed at addressing the economic challenges of our time.

India stands ready to support Vietnam in whatever way we can to help make this prestigious event a great success next year.

Thank you very much, Ambassador!