To Lam, the president and general secretary of Vietnam, began his first official visit to India on Tuesday afternoon when he arrived in New Delhi. The significance of the event was highlighted by Minister Nityanand Rai’s cordial welcome at the airport.
In a post on X, Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, noted that this year is the tenth anniversary of the India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and that the visit will strengthen the two countries’ strong and diverse bilateral ties.
Earlier in the day, President To Lam arrived in Gayaji, the starting point of his three-day state visit, and was greeted by Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
Choudhary expressed hope that the visit will deepen bilateral connections and emphasized the city’s cultural and spiritual value, characterizing it as steeped in legacy. The ceremonial warmth shown to the visiting dignitary was evident in his comments, which were posted on X.
President To Lam is expected to stay in India till May 7. He is also the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee. This trip is especially noteworthy because it is the first time he has visited India since winning the presidency earlier this month.
On May 6, he will be formally welcomed at Rashtrapati Bhawan’s forecourt and have high-level discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The entire range of bilateral relations as well as regional and international topics of shared interest are anticipated to be discussed.
Along with a number of other high-ranking Indian officials, President Droupadi Murmu is also expected to meet with the Vietnamese leader. President To Lam will be visiting places other than New Delhi, including Bodh Gaya and Mumbai, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
These exchanges are intended to give India and Vietnam’s already strong bilateral relationship new life and to create new opportunities for collaboration.
The visit comes after Prime Minister Modi congratulated To Lam on his victory to the presidency on April 7. Modi expressed optimism that the long-standing friendship between Vietnam and India would only deepen under To Lam’s direction.
For the sake of both countries and the larger region, he reaffirmed his dedication to collaborating closely with Vietnam to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The historical and cultural ties between Vietnam and India have become stronger over time. The tenth anniversary of the elevation of relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which was accomplished during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Vietnam in 2016, makes this visit especially noteworthy.
The strategic significance of the partnership and the common goal of both countries in promoting regional stability and cooperation are highlighted by the symbolism of this anniversary as well as the high-level events scheduled during To Lam’s visit.
