Indian Council of World Affairs

The 5^th Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA)- Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) Dialogue was held in Hanoi, Vietnam on September 27, 2024. The theme of the dialogue was India and Vietnam in the New World Order. The Dialogue focused on the opportunities for bilateral ties in the backdrop of global geopolitical flux and saw the participation of scholars, academicians and diplomats. 

In the inaugural session, remarks were made by Dr. Ngyun Duc Minh, Vice-President of VASS, Ambassador of India to Vietnam Amb. Sandeep Arya and Amb. Soumen Bagchi, Acting DG, ICWA. It was pointed out that India is playing an important role by providing leadership in shaping the affairs of the world. India is also providing leadership for the Global South when it comes to voicing the concerns of the developing world. The evolution of bilateral ties was also traced. In this context, it was said that the bilateral ties were elevated from a Strategic Partnership to one of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Vietnam in 2016. Since then, bilateral ties have been guided by the “Joint Vision for Peace, Prosperity and People” that was adopted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the then Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc during the Virtual Summit held on December 2020.

In the first session on India in the new world order and opportunities for India – Vietnam cooperation, Amb. Dr. Ton Sinh Thanh, former Ambassador of Vietnam to India had said that the global order is in a state of flux and yet to achieve a new equilibrium. At the heart of this changing global dynamics is that the world is shifting from a unipolar order to a multi-polar one. In this regard, India has demonstrated its commitment to a free and fair global architecture. This is evidenced in terms of how India has been engaging in the Indo-Pacific region and New Delhi’s engagement with other countries of the world. On his part, Dr. Rahul Mishra, Associate Professor, at Jawaharlal Nehru University, said that the developing countries have an important role in shaping the global order. India, by voicing the concerns of the developing world who are most affected by disruptive developments, is providing leadership to the Global South. 

The two discussants were Dr. Vo Xuan Vinh, Deputy Director General in-charge of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies at VASS and Dr. Sripathi Narayanan, Research Fellow, ICWA concurred with the observations of the speakers, while also highlighting the importance of economic corridors like the Vladivostok-Chennai/Eastern Maritime Corridor and the India-Middle East -Europe Corridor (IMEC) in shaping at bilateral and regional level both economic prosperity and global geopolitics.

In the second session, Vietnam in the new world order and opportunities for Vietnam - India cooperation, Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, Acting Director General, Vietnam Institute of Economics, VASS said that Asia is the key driver of the global economy. It was also pointed out that the institutions like the United Nations, World Trade Organization (WTO), and other multilateral organizations need to adapt to the changing realities of a multipolar world. Dr. Temjenmeren Ao, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) said that during the 13th Party Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam the need for ensuring a peaceful and stable regional environment was emphasized. He added that the situation in the South China Sea is of concern and the first joint maritime exercise between the Philippines and Vietnam in the South China Sea region is a welcome development. 

In the third session, Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the new world order: security & defense, trade and investment, science technology and innovation, Dr. Phan Cao Nhat Anh, Deputy Director General, Institute for South Asian, West Asian and African Studies, VASS highlighted Hanoi’s Bamboo Diplomacy, wherein Vietnam aims at maintaining its independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and being proactive in regional and global forums. Vietnam’s “Four Nos” policy: i) no military alliances, ii) no siding with one country to act against another, iii) no foreign military bases or using Vietnam as leverage to counteract other countries and iv) no threat or use of force by Vietnam, was also highlighted. Prof. Dr. Prabir De, Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) said that bilateral trade between India and Vietnam has expanded from US$ 4 billion in 2010 to US$ 11 billion in 2020 to US$ 15 billion in 2023 or   11 per cent of India’s total trade with the ASEAN. However, India has witnessed merchandise trade deficit with Vietnam, which has grown from less than a billion in 2018 to US$ 3.5 billion in 2023. It was also pointed out that Indian export faces considerable trade barriers with both Vietnam and ASEAN.

Dr. Le Thi Hang Nga, Institute for South Asian, West Asian and African Studies, VASS, in the session on  India – Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the new world order: tourism, education, cultural exchanges and people-to-people ties, that the bilateral ties now is shaped by “Five More”:(i) more trust in political – strategic cooperation; ii) more cooperation in defence and security; iii) more substantive and effective economic, trade and investment cooperation; doubling two-way trade and investment turnover in the next 3-4 years; (iv) more cooperation in science, technology and innovation; and (v) more connection in terms of cultural, tourism, people-to-people ties; stronger connection in terms of culture, civilization, history and religion between the two countries. Dr. Sripathi Narayanan said that there is a need for the two sides to increase the level of engagement  among their business and industrial communities. There is also a need for Vietnam to consider enrolling in short-term courses that Indian institutions like the IIM offer. This will improve direct people-to-people connections that can also facilitate greater economic engagement between the two sides. Another area that the two sides should consider is the start-up space. This is important as there is a vibrant start-up ecosystem in India which covers a wide range of sectors, starting from agriculture to space. 

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