ATTRACTING MORE RESOURCES, EXPANDING DEVELOPMENT SPACE FOR THE COUNTRY

Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Le Minh Hung and a high-level Vietnamese delegation have successfully concluded their working trip to India to attend the 18th BRICS Summit and hold bilateral engagements from September 12 to 13, 2026.

The working trip represented an important step in implementing the foreign policy outlined at the 14th National Party Congress and the Politburo’s Resolution on international integration in the new situation, particularly the policy of strengthening and elevating multilateral diplomacy, proactively and responsibly participating in addressing common regional and international issues, and contributing to peace, friendship, cooperation and development. Through the Prime Minister’s working trip, Viet Nam continued to expand its development space, diversify markets, partners and supply chains, gain access to new technological initiatives and trends, and effectively mobilise resources in terms of capital, science and technology, knowledge and markets to serve national development.

The working trip also helped consolidate and further deepen Viet Nam’s relations with India, the 2026 BRICS Chair, as well as with BRICS member and partner countries.

Seizing opportunities to deepen engagement with BRICS

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on September 13 led a high-level Vietnamese delegation to the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi as a BRICS partner country. The summit was chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chair of BRICS in 2026, and attended by heads of state, heads of government, senior representatives of BRICS member and partner countries, invited guests and leaders of international organisations. The summit was the most important event of India’s 2026 BRICS Chairmanship, marking 20 years since the formation and development of BRICS.

The summit discussed a wide range of regional and international issues of common concern, including reform of the global governance system and multilateral institutions, measures to maintain regional peace and stability, and the promotion of sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Leaders affirmed their determination to strengthen cooperation across the three main pillars of political-security, economic-financial, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges, promote peace, and build a more representative and equitable international order. They agreed to advance multifaceted cooperation in trade, investment, finance and monetary affairs, science, technology, innovation, energy security, agriculture, food security, a just energy transition, environmental protection, healthcare and people-to-people exchanges. Leaders also stressed the need to ensure stability in energy markets and maintain uninterrupted energy flows from diversified sources, while enhancing resilience and protecting critical energy infrastructure.

In a meeting with World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung affirmed Viet Nam’s wish for the WTO to continue advancing reform efforts to meet the demands of the new landscape and to expand its agenda into emerging areas such as digital trade, AI, the green transition, climate change, and supply chain resilience. The Prime Minister also requested that the WTO continue projects and initiatives to help Viet Nam build capacity, provide specialised training on trade policy and legal advice for international dispute resolution, and facilitate trade, thereby enabling the country to effectively leverage international agreements and commitments and enhance its competitiveness.

The WTO Director-General affirmed the organisation’s continued partnership with and support for Viet Nam in its international economic integration process, expressing hope that Vietnam would support WTO reform efforts and the accession processes of other nations.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung also met with Zou Jiayi, President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

The AIIB should continue supporting Viet Nam in implementing large-scale infrastructure projects with significant spillover effects—particularly in green transition, energy transition, urban development, and regional connectivity—and to enhance technical assistance during project preparation and the design of innovative financial structures, as well as increase co-financing with development partners and the private sector to maximise resource mobilization for Viet Nam’s infrastructure investment needs.

The Prime Minister affirmed Viet Nam’s wish to strengthen its long-term partnership with the AIIB, especially regarding strategic infrastructure development, the green transition, and climate change adaptation. The Prime Minister also proposed that the AIIB coordinate closely with Vietnamese ministries, agencies, and localities to develop a portfolio of medium- and long-term cooperative projects aligned with Viet Nam’s socio-economic development direction and the AIIB’s priorities.

The two sides agreed to continue close coordination to promptly operationalize the matters discussed and to deepen the substantive and effective cooperation between Viet Nam and the AIIB, thereby helping to meet Viet Nam’s need for modern, green, and sustainable infrastructure development.

In a meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung affirmed that Viet Nam regards Ethiopia as a key partner in Africa. To further strengthen bilateral relations and effectively implement high-level commitments, the Prime Minister proposed that both sides continue to consolidate political trust and promote the exchange of delegations—particularly among leaders of ministries, agencies, and businesses—to identify opportunities for trade, investment, and business cooperation. The two sides need to strengthen legal frameworks to create a solid, long-term foundation by accelerating negotiations on key agreements, such as the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement and the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement.

Concurring with Prime Minister Le Minh Hung’s proposals, the Ethiopian Prime Minister stated that Ethiopia could become an attractive destination for Vietnamese businesses in Africa, thanks to its large population, rapid economic growth, and significant development potential. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali called on Vietnamese businesses to step up investment and commercial activities in Ethiopia—particularly in agriculture, the processing industry, technology, and artificial intelligence—affirming that the Ethiopian government would create favourable conditions for them.

Deepening and enhancing the substance and effectiveness of Viet Nam-India relations

The bilateral activities undertaken by Prime Minister Le Minh Hung in India on this occasion are of great significance; they not only sustain the momentum of development and high-level exchanges but also operationalise the shared understandings, agreements, and major strategic directions reached by the top leaders of both nations, thereby deepening the new framework of relations and making it more substantive and effective.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung emphasised that Viet Nam and India share many similarities in their development perspectives, goals, and orientations, creating opportunities for the two countries to work together in various fields.

The Indian Prime Minister highly appreciated Viet Nam’s participation in BRICS and emphasised that Viet Nam’s attendance at the 18th BRICS Summit had helped raise the stature of the summit.

The two leaders agreed that Viet Nam and India are among the world’s fastest-growing economies, have a high degree of complementarity, and hold enormous potential for cooperation. They expressed determination to step up measures to soon achieve the target of two-way trade reaching 25 billion USD, while facilitating market access for products from the two countries, particularly pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, fishery products, and livestock products.

I propose that the two sides establish economic corridors and supply chains to enhance connectivity between the two economies; consider launching negotiations on a bilateral Free Trade Agreement; and actively coordinate with ASEAN countries to accelerate the completion of the review of the ASEAN–India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA).

The two Prime Ministers assessed defence and security cooperation as an important pillar of bilateral relations and agreed to step up cooperation in defence industry and military trade, training, and the provision of preferential credit, and to organise the first meeting of the Foreign Affairs-Defence Dialogue mechanism soon.

In science and technology, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung proposed that the two sides soon develop a Viet Nam–India technology connectivity strategy, focusing on spearhead sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G/6G mobile network technology. He also proposed developing cooperation programmes on training AI engineers and semiconductor specialists, providing digital technology training for young people, and connecting start-ups and innovation businesses of the two countries.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung also received leaders of several Indian corporations.

Receiving Sanjay Dhawan, Vice Chairman of ACME, an Indian group operating in clean energy and sustainable development, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung affirmed that Viet Nam welcomes large Indian corporations with strong technological capabilities to increase investment in Viet Nam, particularly in areas where India has strengths and Viet Nam has demand, such as clean energy, green industry, new materials, high technology, infrastructure, and digital transformation, in line with Viet Nam’s investment attraction orientations for the coming period.

Noting ACME’s orientation towards building an integrated value chain ranging from renewable energy and green hydrogen to low-emission materials and industrial decarbonisation, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung welcomed the group’s efforts to strengthen connectivity and cooperation with Vietnamese enterprises in implementing emissions-reduction solutions. He asked ACME to study expanding cooperation and investment in Viet Nam and implement large-scale, value-added projects connected to regional markets. This would contribute to making Viet Nam not only a market for green products but also an investment destination, production base, and link in the regional value chain, meeting international standards.

At the meeting, ACME Vice Chairman Sanjay Dhawan said ACME wishes to promote strategic cooperation with Viet Nam in supplying and developing raw material value chains. The group is also interested in exploring investment opportunities, technology transfer, trade cooperation; and developing clean energy projects in Viet Nam, he added.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung also received Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao, founder and Chairman of GMR Group. At the meeting, Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao gave an overview of GMR's operations in airport development and operation, energy, transport and urban infrastructure, saying that the group is interested in exploring cooperation and investment opportunities in Viet Nam, particularly in airport and aviation infrastructure.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung highly appreciated GMR's experience in developing and operating aviation infrastructure, noting that Viet Nam identifies aviation infrastructure development as a priority to strengthen international connectivity, promote trade and tourism, and attract investment. The Prime Minister welcomed GMR's efforts to strengthen connectivity and explore cooperation opportunities with Vietnamese partners, and asked the group to study the possibility of participating in suitable projects in airport development and operation, airport cities, commercial operation, aviation service ecosystems, digital transformation and airport technology. He also encouraged the group to share experience, transfer technology and contribute to human resources training in Viet Nam.

On the afternoon of September 13, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation met with officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in India and representative agencies. The Prime Minister asked all officials and employees working overseas must firmly grasp the Party’s new mindset and policies on foreign affairs as well as overseas Vietnamese affairs, including the Politburo's Resolution No. 23-NQ/TW on overseas Vietnamese; and, on the other, develop a deep and thorough understanding of their respective host countries so that they can provide sound, effective recommendations, proposals and policy advice to agencies at home.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung called on the Embassy to continue upholding its fine traditions and strive to successfully fulfil all assigned tasks, while being proactive and creative, demonstrating the courage to think, act and pursue breakthroughs in its work. This would contribute to deepening and making the Vietnam-India Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership more substantive and effective in the period ahead, in keeping with the stature of the special relationship between the two countries.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung's attendance at the 18th BRICS Summit and his bilateral engagements in India conveyed the message that Viet Nam is always committed to strengthening relations with other countries for peace, cooperation and shared development, thereby contributing to peace and stability in the region and the world.

The visit not only helped enhance Viet Nam's role, reputation and position in the region and on the international stage, but also reaffirmed Viet Nam's strong support for India's BRICS Chairship in 2026, while providing fresh momentum to deepen and make the Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Viet Nam and India increasingly substantive and effective.