India–Vietnam relations (; ), also known as Indian-Vietnamese relations, are the bilateral relations of India and Vietnam.
Cultural and economic links between India and Vietnam date back to the 2nd century. In contemporary era, relations between India and Vietnam have been governed by several areas of shared political interests. India strongly condemned U.S. action during the Vietnam War and was also one of the few non-communist countries to show support for Vietnam during the Cambodian–Vietnamese War against Angkar and the Khmer Rouge of Democratic Kampuchea led by the dictator Pol Pot (Saloth Sâr) where they forced to abandon the capital Phnom Penh and fled back into the jungle near the border with Thailand which continued as a guerilla war from 1979 until 1997 at the mountain range of Dângrêk.
In 1992, India and Vietnam established extensive economic ties, including oil exploration, agriculture and manufacturing. The relations between the two countries, especially defence ties, benefited extensively from India's Look East policy. Bilateral military cooperation includes sale of military equipment, sharing of intelligence, joint naval exercises and training in counterinsurgency and jungle warfare. India also regularly deploys its warships for goodwill visits to Vietnamese seas.
Bilateral relations were upgraded to a "Strategic Partnership" during Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's visit to India in July 2007, and upgraded to a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Vietnam in September 2016.
Background India was the Chairman of the International Commission for Supervision and Control (ICSC) which was formed to implement the 1954 Geneva Accords and facilitate the peace process in Vietnam. India supported Vietnam's independence from France, viewing it as being similar to India's own struggle against British colonialism. France had also colonized portions of India including Pondicherry, and the Government of India assumed de facto control of French India on 1 November 1954 until 16 August 1962 when it became part of the Union territory.
Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru embarked on a tour of China and Indochina in 1954 during which he visited both North Vietnam and South Vietnam. He was one of the first visitors to North Vietnam after its victory against the French at Dien Bien Phu. Nehru sent a detailed report describing his tour to Burmese Prime Minister U Nu on 16 November 1954. Nehru wrote, "The person who impressed me most was Dr. Ho Chi Minh of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, who came to see me at Hanoi. Hanoi had passed into his hands just five days previous to my arrival. This was a peaceful and very disciplined transfer from the French to the Viet Minh. Ho Chi Minh impressed me as an unusually frank, straight-forward and likable person. Although he has been engaged in a war for seven years against the French, he was the very reverse of a war-like person. He struck me as a man of peace and goodwill. He did not say a word against the French to me. Indeed, he expressed his desire for cooperation with the French and even to be associated with the French Union, provided his country had complete independence. He mentioned the relationship of India with the Commonwealth and asked me for further particulars about it. It was evident that Viet Minh was well-organized and disciplined."
Nehru also visited Saigon and held discussions with then-South Vietnamese Prime Minister Ngô Đình Diệm, French General Paul Ély and others at Independence Palace. In contrast to North Vietnam, Nehru was unimpressed by South Vietnamese leadership writing, "South Vietnam produced a completely opposite effect on me. The whole place seemed to be at sixes and sevens with hardly any dominant authority. The Prime Minister and his Generals were opposed to each other. There were three private armies of some kind of semi-religious sects. Foreign Representatives apparently also pulled in different directions. It was generally estimated that if there was a vote now, 90 percent or more of the population would vote for Viet Minh. What would happen a year or two later, one could not say."
Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai had asked Nehru during his visit to China whether India would recognize North and South Vietnam. Nehru noted, "I told him that for all practical purposes we were dealing with them, either through the International Commission or otherwise, as if we had recognized them. We intended sending Consuls-General to them. For the present, we did not intend going any further because of our delicate position as Chairman of the three International Commissions." Ngo Dinh Nhu, the brother and chief political advisor of South Vietnamese President Ngô Đình Diệm, visited New Delhi in March 1957 and met with Prime Minister Nehru and then-minister without portfolio V. K. Krishna Menon. President Diệm visited India in November 1957 and met with Nehru and Indian President Rajendra Prasad. North Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh visited India in February 1958 and also met with Prime Minister Nehru and President Prasad.
India opposed American involvement in the Vietnam War. Nehru made his last state visit to the United States in November 1961. During a private luncheon at Hammersmith Farm, US President John F. Kennedy and US Ambassador to India John Kenneth Galbraith questioned Nehru on how they could avoid American militarization of Vietnam. Nehru remained ambiguous on Vietnam but emphasized that "the United States must stay out". According to his nephew and then-Indian Ambassador to the US Braj Kumar Nehru, the Prime Minister later told Foreign Secretary M. J. Desai, "Tell them, tell them not to go into Vietnam. They will be bogged down and they will never be able to get out."
President Rajendra Prasad visited North Vietnam in 1959. Prasad met with Ho Chi Minh and gifted him a bodhi tree (ficus religiosa) which they planted at the Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi. It is the first bodhi tree in Vietnam, and has since become a symbol of friendship between the two countries. On 22 December 2019, the Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam and the Embassy of India in Hanoi held a ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of the tree's planting. During Indian President Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Vietnam in September 2014 he gifted a second bodhi tree to President Truong Tan Sang which they planted at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi.
India established diplomatic relations with North Vietnam on 7 January 1972, a year before the US withdrawal from Vietnam and three years before the Fall of Saigon. India supported the reunification of Vietnam and the two countries have maintained friendly relations, especially in wake of Vietnam's disputes with China, with whom India also has disputes.
High level visits There have been several high level visits between leaders of the two countries.
Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nong Duc Manh visited India in 2005. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung visited in 2007, and Vice-president Nguyen Thi Doan visited in 2009. Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong visited in 2010 and President Truong Tan Sang in October 2011. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung visited in December 2012 to participate in the India-ASEAN Commemorative Summit. General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong made a state visit on 19–22 November 2013 and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on 27–28 October 2014. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited India on 24–26 January 2018 and was the chief guest and the Republic Day parade. He also attended the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit 2018. President Tran Dai Quang made a state visit to India on 2–4 March 2018.
Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee made an official visit to Vietnam in 2001. Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee visited in March 2007, and President Pratibha Patil in November 2008. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Vietnam in October 2010 to attend the 8th ASEAN-India Summit and the 5th East Asia Summit. Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar visited the country in May 2011. Vice President M. Hamid Ansari visited Vietnam on 14–17 January 2013 to attend the closing ceremony of the "India-Vietnam Friendship Year 2012". 2012. President Pranab Mukherjee made a state visit to Vietnam on 14–17 September 2014. Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj visited Vietnam on 26–28 August 2018 to attend the 16th India-Vietnam Joint Commission Meeting and the 3rd Indian Ocean Conference. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an official visit to Vietnam on 2–3 September 2016. Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu visited the country on 9–12 May 2019 to attend Vesak festivities. President Ram Nath Kovind made a state visit to Vietnam on 18–20 November 2018.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several high level meetings were held virtually by the two countries in 2020. The 17th Virtual Joint Commission Meeting between Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, and Deputy Prime Minister and Vietnam Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh was held on 25 August 2020. A virtual bilateral defence meeting was held between Defence Ministers Rajnath Singh and General Ngô Xuân Lịch on 27 November 2020. The first-ever India-Vietnam Virtual Summit was co-chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on 21 December 2020.
In May 2026, Vietnamese present Tô Lâm visited India for several days to deepen bilateral relations. The two nations officially elevated their relationship to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2026, with new agreements to prioritize maritime security and defense capacity building over shared concern in the South China Sea. Beyond defense, the summit also resulted in a wide range of pacts in the technology, finance, and energy sectors to integrate India's Act East policy more closely with Vietnam's autonomy goals. Vietnam and India signed cooperation agreements to integrate Vietnamese manufacturing with Indian semiconductor design and engineering, a memorandum of understanding to explore cross-border payment systems and fintech collaboration, and pacts to share technical expertise in green hydrogen production and solar infrastructure.
Economic relations
India granted "Most Favoured Nation" status to Vietnam in 1975 and both nations signed a bilateral trade agreement in 1978 and the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) on 8 March 1997. The Indo-Vietnam Joint Business Council has worked to promote trade and investment since 1993. In 2003, both nations promulgated a Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Cooperation when the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nông Đức Mạnh visited India and both nations are negotiating a free trade agreement. In 2007, a fresh joint declaration was issued during the state visit of the Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyễn Tấn Dũng. The ASEAN–India Free Trade Agreement came into effect on 1 January 2010.
India and Vietnam have also expanded cooperation in information technology, education and collaboration of the respective national space programmes. Direct air links and simplified visa regulations have been established to bolster tourism.
Trade India is Vietnam's 10th largest trading partner, while Vietnam is India's 15th largest trading partner and 4th largest in ASEAN after Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. Bilateral trade between India and Vietnam measured $11.12 billion in 2020–21, declining by 22.47% from the previous fiscal largely due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. India exported $4.99 billion worth of goods to Vietnam, and imported $6.12 billion from Vietnam. India's trade deficit with Vietnam declined from $2.22 billion in 2019–20 to $1.12 billion in 2020–21.