General Secretary, President To Lam's visit to India and Sri Lanka achieves outstanding success: Politburo member, FM Le Hoai Trung
WVR - On the occasion of General Secretary, President To Lam's successful conclusion of his state visit to India and Sri Lanka, Politburo Member and Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung spoke to the press about the visit's outcomes and key highlights in relations with the two countries.
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| General Secretary, President To Lam and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hold talks at the Prime Minister's Office in New Delhi on May 6, 2026. (Source: VNA) |
Could Politburo Member and Minister share the standout results of General Secretary, President To Lam's state visit to India and Sri Lanka?
The state visit of General Secretary, President To Lam to India and Sri Lanka holds special historical significance, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and India and occurring just a month after General Secretary, President To Lam was newly elected. For Sri Lanka, this marks the highest-level visit by our leadership since the establishment of diplomatic relations. The participation of numerous high-ranking leaders and businesses underscores Vietnam's high regard for its relations with India and Sri Lanka.
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| Politburo Member, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung. (Photo: Bao Chi) |
The visit was a resounding success, achieving high-level goals. With India, both nations agreed to elevate their relationship to an enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership; with Sri Lanka, to a comprehensive partnership, establishing a new political framework to strengthen political trust and mutual understanding. Both countries warmly and respectfully received General Secretary, State President and the delegation, with the highest state visit protocols and many special courtesies.
Vietnamese ministries and agencies also engaged in extensive programs with their counterparts. Over 50 documents were signed in India and 11 in Sri Lanka, reflecting the high efforts of Vietnam and the two countries, contributing significantly to the development of bilateral relations. Our leaders and the two countries also discussed measures to enhance relations between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the ruling parties, parliamentary relations, and people-to-people diplomacy.
A key highlight of the visit is its profound political significance, demonstrating the special regard of our Party and State for the comprehensive strategic partnership with the "great friend" India and the traditional friendly relations with Sri Lanka, highlighting Vietnam's importance in the South Asian region. The high-level leaders and people of both countries highly appreciate Vietnam's socio-economic achievements, role, and position, expressing warm sentiments towards Vietnam – a source of regional inspiration – and personally towards General Secretary, President To Lam.
Another highlight is the strategic breakthrough the visit created, paving the way for qualitative shifts in the direction of relations with India and Sri Lanka. With India, both sides agreed to elevate cooperation based on the principle of "shared vision, strategic convergence, and practical cooperation," reflecting high political trust and strategic interest alignment. With Sri Lanka, upgrading the relationship to a comprehensive partnership reflects increased trust and expanded practical cooperation in the new context and requirements.
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| General Secretary, President To Lam and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet the press after talks. (Source: VNA) |
The visit's outcomes are highly substantial. Strategic directions to resolve bottlenecks, expand markets, and enhance economic, investment, infrastructure, science – technology, innovation, and supply chain connectivity were of particular interest to the leaders, with specific cooperation proposals; affirming the expansion and deepening of the defense – security pillar, identifying economy, science – technology as new pillars with practical programs, plans, and activities, enhancing educational – training cooperation.
For India, the visit's outcomes have elevated bilateral relations to a new height, unlocking vast cooperation potential in security – defense, economy – trade, science – technology, education – training, culture, and people-to-people exchanges, promising to usher in a "golden era" for bilateral relations.
For Sri Lanka, both sides committed to continue strengthening cooperation, friendship, establishing high-level political trust, expanding the scale and depth of cooperation comprehensively and practically across all fields; agreeing to increase bilateral trade fivefold in the coming years. Major strides in Sri Lanka's economic stability have opened new opportunities for trade, cooperation in minerals, manufacturing, seaports, and many other areas.
Amidst global volatility and uncertainty, General Secretary, President To Lam and the leaders of both countries agreed on the need for close coordination and mutual support based on respect for international law, the United Nations Charter, and the promotion of multilateralism.
It can be affirmed that the visit achieved comprehensive results, both strategically significant and practically transformative in cooperation, enhancing Vietnam's role and position in South Asia and on the international stage, while opening a new, deeper, more effective, and comprehensive development phase for Vietnam's relations with India and Sri Lanka.
The visit also marks the implementation of an independent, self-reliant, resilient, peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and development-oriented foreign policy, diversifying and multilateralizing foreign relations, including the policy of deepening relations with traditional friends, strengthening ties with major partners, key partners in the Asia-Pacific, including the enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership with India, a major country with a developed economy and strong science – technology, thereby consolidating favorable foreign relations, leveraging favorable conditions for economic, science – technology, education – training development in the new phase, for the benefit of all parties, cooperating to uphold international law, the United Nations Charter.
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| General Secretary, President To Lam and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake witness the signing of cooperation documents between the two countries. (Source: VNA) |
Minister, could you share what Vietnam and the two countries will do to capitalize on the results achieved during the visit?
During the visit, General Secretary, President To Lam provided close guidance on implementing the results achieved. Ministries, agencies, and localities need to deeply understand the high-level agreements, actively promoting cooperation with a focus on concrete effectiveness and the practical benefits of the people as the goal. With India, we consistently adhere to the principle of "shared vision, strategic convergence, and practical cooperation" throughout the cooperation process.
Moving forward, we need to continue to enhance information dissemination about the significance and results of the visit, thereby creating unity across levels, sectors, and localities. Simultaneously, Vietnamese ministries, agencies, and localities should allocate appropriate resources, develop specific plans to implement the agreements and commitments reached.
We will also work closely with India and Sri Lanka to accelerate the implementation of high-level agreements and signed documents, proactively addressing bottlenecks and barriers in cooperation, creating clear and substantial effectiveness, turning political directions into measurable, concrete results. With India, the focus is on key areas such as economic connectivity, trade, investment, strategic infrastructure development, logistics and supply chains, science – technology, innovation, culture, and tourism. With Sri Lanka, the focus is on infrastructure, telecommunications, high-tech agriculture, fisheries, green transition, tourism, especially spiritual tourism.
With high political determination and close coordination across levels and sectors, we are confident that the results of the visit will be realized, contributing to the increasingly deep, substantial, and effective development of Vietnam's relations with India and Sri Lanka, while positively contributing to peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.
Thank you, Politburo Member, Minister!
