PM Modi Meets Vietnam PM Le Minh Hung at BRICS Summit as India–Vietnam Strategic Ties Deepen

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung in New Delhi on September 12, 2026, on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit, with the two leaders reviewing the expanding India–Vietnam relationship and reaffirming their commitment to deepen cooperation.

Modi welcomed Vietnam’s participation in the summit as a BRICS Partner Country, highlighting its growing engagement with the grouping. Vietnam is participating in the BRICS Summit as a partner country for the second time, while this is Le Minh Hung’s first BRICS Summit as Prime Minister.

The meeting also allowed the two Prime Ministers to assess progress since India and Vietnam elevated their relationship to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the State Visit of Vietnamese President and Communist Party General Secretary To Lam to India from May 5–7, 2026. The upgrade reflected growing strategic convergence between New Delhi and Hanoi and broadened cooperation across economic, technological, defence and regional issues.

During their September 12 discussions, Modi and Hung exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest and reaffirmed their intention to further strengthen the bilateral partnership. The interaction comes as India and Vietnam increasingly coordinate across a wider Indo-Pacific landscape shaped by maritime security, resilient supply chains, emerging technologies and economic connectivity.

The May 2026 strategic upgrade had already given fresh momentum to the relationship. India and Vietnam agreed during President To Lam’s visit to work towards increasing bilateral trade to $25 billion by 2030, while expanding cooperation in areas including defence, critical minerals, digital and financial technologies, renewable energy, space, pharmaceuticals and education.

India views Vietnam as an important pillar of its Act East Policy and one of its key strategic partners in Southeast Asia. The relationship is supported by longstanding political trust, historical and civilizational links and increasingly strong convergence on regional stability and a rules-based Indo-Pacific.

The Modi–Hung meeting at the New Delhi BRICS Summit therefore builds on a relationship that has moved beyond traditional diplomatic friendship towards deeper strategic, economic and technological cooperation. Vietnam’s participation as a BRICS partner also provides another platform for New Delhi and Hanoi to coordinate on wider issues affecting the Global South and the evolving international order.