New Delhi, Sep 12 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart Lee Minh Hung in New Delhi on Saturday and discussed deepening defence and security cooperation.
As the two leaders held a meeting on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, PM Modi said that Vietnam will remain a "key pillar" of India's Act East Policy and MAHASAGAR vision.
"Met Prime Minister Lee Minh Hung of Vietnam on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. We had productive discussions on: Deepening defence and security cooperation, including the proposed 2+2 mechanism. Expanding cooperation in energy, rare earths and space. Working towards USD 25 billion bilateral trade by 2030 and greater two-way investment. Strengthening our deep cultural and civilisational linkages. Vietnam will always remain a key pillar of India’s Act East Policy and MAHASAGAR vision," PM Modi posted on X.
During the meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further the India-Vietnam partnership. PMs Modi and Hung also discussed various regional and global issues of mutual importance, according to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
"The meeting provided an opportunity for both leaders to review the progress made in bilateral ties, which were elevated to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the State Visit of H.E. Mr To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, to India in May 2026," it said.
PM Modi welcomed Vietnam's participation in the BRICS Summit as a partner country. Prior to the meeting, the two leaders warmly greeted each other and PM Modi met the delegation accompanying Le Minh Hung.
"India and Vietnam share a time-tested friendship rooted in shared civilizational heritage, mutual trust and understanding. Vietnam is a key pillar of India's Act East Policy and an important partner in India's broader engagement with Southeast Asia," the MEA mentioned in a statement.
As BRICS chair in 2026, India is set to host the two-day BRICS Summit here from today, bringing together leaders of BRICS members, partner countries and outreach invitees.
India’s BRICS chairship is guided by the theme: 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability', reflecting PM Modi's vision of a people-centric approach rooted in the spirit of "Humanity First." Beyond these areas, the leaders will exchange views on strengthening intra-BRICS cooperation on common priorities and share perspectives on global and regional matters of mutual importance.
BRICS comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. The partner countries are: Belarus, Cuba, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.