This 15th August, India marches into its 80th year of independence since the “tryst with destiny” at the stroke of midnight on this day in 1947.
2026 marks a landmark milestone and a midpoint for India’s Viksit Bharat Vision, the national objective to achieve a Developed India @ 2047. While the quintessential address by the Prime Minister of India from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort in New Delhi will guide the nation to map out critical future policies on the ongoing structural reforms, societal aspirations, industrial scaling and on relations among the comity of nations, this day also beckons us to take a pause and introspect the road taken to reach here. For to know where we are going, it is paramount to know where we have come from!
Along the journey, India has shattered many a glass ceiling, rewritten the rules of history, steered many a course and has come out stronger-than-ever in an increasingly fluid multipolar world. Today, India is self-sufficient, is a net exporter of many essential commodities to the global community and a trusted first responder. Through these years, democracy has given voice to nearly a billion of its citizens at the ballot box – the greatest democratic exercise in human history. When we were told that it is not our business to look at the stars, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) became the first in human history to land a spacecraft on the treacherous Lunar South Pole. We have, today, reached Mars. From just a 12% literacy rate in 1947, today, we have built a repository of global intellect. Indian nationals have leading footprints across global technology giants. We have harnessed technology through the paradigm-shifting Digital Public Infrastructure and have brought out a financial revolution aimed at absolute financial inclusion and technology for all. Today, we have built a fortress of healthcare. The “pharmacy of the world” today shares critical life-saving medicines with the world at affordable costs with impeccable quality once a privilege of only a few. The entrepreneurial people and the skillful youth have made India the world’s fastest growing major economy.
Every step that India took has been a step to better the lives of its people and bring prosperity to herself and the world in line with the ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family). We continue to stand as the voice of the Global South while not deterring from the path of strategic autonomy.
The evolution of India-Vietnam relations, two civilizational friends bound by history, culture and the same waters that lap the shores of the coasts of India and Vietnam, have been extra ordinary. We started, together, from the shadows of colonialism and drawing inspiration from each other’s national movements. Both countries gained the hard-earned independence during the same period – Vietnam in September 1945 and India in August 1947. It is, therefore, not coincidental, that both countries have embarked upon our respective national goals of Viksit Bharat @ 2047 and Vietnam2045.
Earlier this year, in May 2026, Party General Secretary and State President H. E. Mr. To Lam, at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi, undertook a State Visit to India. Prime Minister Modi, himself, encapsulated this milestone visit to India - “His [Party General Secretary’s] visit to India within a month of assuming office as President of Vietnam, accompanied by a high-level delegation and several business leaders, clearly reflects the priority he places on India-Vietnam relations.”
The State Visit, in May, laid the foundation of an already existing mutually trusted friendship into a modern-era partnership elevating the bilateral relations to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (ECSP). Apart from entering into 13 Memoranda of Understanding and several announcements across a wide canvas, both sides agreed to increase bilateral trade to USD 25 billion by 2030.
Post the State Visit, both countries are taking effective and timely steps to implement the agreements reached. It is imperative that the shared values and goodwill between the two countries translate into tangible outcomes. I am happy to inform that there has been much progress on cultural cooperation, friendship and cooperation between the cities of Mumbai and Ho Chi Minh City, critical minerals, S&T, ICCR Chairs of India Studies, tourism, ICT, health including in the pharmaceutical domain and on digitization of Cham manuscripts. In addition, we have moved ahead on market access of agricultural commodities beginning with Indian grapes and Vietnamese durian. We are coordinating closely on establishment of a Site Interpretation Centre at the UNSECO World Heritage Site at My Son. Our development partnership initiatives and capacity building programmes are at an all-time high. Alongside culture, connectivity, and capacity building, our cooperation is poised to reach new heights particularly in defence & security, sustainability, mutual investments and supply chain resilience. Trade and Commerce remains a top priority with discussions moving ahead on the Asean-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA). Vietnam joining the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) strengthens our mutual commitment to contribute to the rule of law, peace, stability, and prosperity of the region.
India has significantly enhanced its ‘Act East’ policy initiatives with Vietnam, reaffirming our long-standing policy that Vietnam remains a key pillar of India’s ‘Act East’ policy and Vision MAHASAGAR, i.e., Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions. These developments also reverberate with our consistent stand to further expand our engagement with the ASEAN. Our strategic convergences have drawn us closely with Vietnam at the multilateral and plurilateral fora. The forthcoming BRICS Summit in New Delhi on 12-13 September 2026 will provide another opportunity for our leadership to reaffirm our mutual commitment to deepen our bilateral ties.
India and Vietnam, two civilizational partners with the celestial bridge of Buddhism and historical solidarity have transformed challenges into opportunities, learnt from each other and nurtured complementarities for mutual benefit. The enormous goodwill, mutual respect and trust between the two societies with people at the core is the strength of our traditional partnership which will only get stronger. This is not the time to rest as we have just commenced our progressive and future oriented journey.
In Prime Minister Modi’s own words “We will walk together, grow together, and win together.”
I wish all fellow Indian nationals and friends of India celebrating Independence Day, this 15th of August, good health, happiness and prosperity. I wish to also congratulate and wish all our Vietnamese friends as they approach the 81st National Day on the 2nd of September.
Google translate