Indian Council of World Affairs

The Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) held the fourth Dialogue with its MoU partner Viet Nam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) on 12 October 2023 at Sapru House, New Delhi. The theme of the Dialogue was “India-Vietnam Partnership: Building Collective Solutions for Emerging Challenges”. The Dialogue focused on the opportunities and challenges 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 Amb. Vijay Thakur Singh, DG, ICWA; Mr. Nguyen Thanh Ha, Director General of International Cooperation Department, (VASS) and the Ambassador of Vietnam to India, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hai. It was noted that India and Viet Nam are long-standing partners with multifaceted bilateral ties. The foundation of bilateral ties is based on mutual trust, commitment and strong convergence of strategic interests. The traditional bilateral ties have been nurtured by the leaders of the two countries – Mahatma Gandhi and Ho Chi Minh. The historic Joint Vision for Peace, Prosperity and People adopted in December 2020 complements and guides the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed in 2016. Viet Nam is one of India’s closest partners and an important pillar of its Act East Policy and the Indo-Pacific Vision. 

The first session on Perspectives on the Current Geopolitics and Geo-Economics was chaired by Amb. Vijay Thakur Singh. Dr. Udai Bhanu Singh, formerly with MP IDSA and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Thai Quoc, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Vietnam Journal of World Economics and Politics, Institute of World Economics and Politics led the discussion with Dr. Pham Cao Cuong, Deputy Director- General in charge, Vietnam Institute for Indian and Southwest Asian Studies (VIISAS) and Dr. Tunchinmang Langel, Research Fellow, ICWA were the two discussants. It was observed that the world is in transition with the post WWII world order going through turbulence and the international environment oscillating between cooperation and competition. Challenges like Covid-19 Pandemic, the Ukrainian crisis, the conflict in the Caucasus, and the outbreak of hostilities in West Asia exposed vulnerabilities. The cartographic intrusion and aggressive posturing by China along its periphery including in the South China Sea has raised concerns for regional and global security. Besides, there are concerns over global supply chains, access to secure and affordable food, fuel and fertilizers. Conflicts in various parts of the world are having a profound impact on the global economy with the debt situation becoming particularly acute. 

Session two was on India-Vietnam Partnership on Defence and Security. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Ha, VASS was the Chair. The speakers were Dr. Pham Cao Cuong and Dr. Temjenmeren Ao, Associate Fellow, MP-IDSA. The discussants were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Thai Quoc, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Vietnam Journal of World Economics and Politics, Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP) and Dr. Sripathi Narayanan, Research Fellow, ICWA. The session highlighted the fact that the security landscape in the Indo-Pacific region is being shaped by an expansionist China, growing importance of the Indian Ocean region, India’s rise and the rivalry between China and the United States. There are concerns related to freedom of navigation and security of the sea lanes of communication and upholding rule of law. It was noted that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Viet Nam has diversified from political and trade & investment ties to defence partnership, maritime security, energy security, development cooperation and included cooperation in new and emerging fields such as space, civil nuclear, ICT and new technologies. 

Session three was on India and Vietnam: Towards Building a New Economic Partnership. The session was chaired by Prof. Shankari Sundararaman. The speakers were Dr. Prabir De, Professor RIS and Dr. Dang Thai Binh, HoD of Economic and Development Studies, VIISAS. Dr. Udai Bhanu Singh, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Thai Quoc were the discussants. It was noted that there are barriers that have hindered the prospects of bilateral trade which may not achieve the target of US$ 20 billion by 2025. At the same time, it was pointed out that national growth and progress in India and Viet Nam was creating new opportunities for expanding bilateral cooperation in new areas such as green and sustainable development, healthcare, and digital economy. It was also noted that the export basket of the two countries is not competitive but is complementary in nature and, thus, the two sides can cooperate in accessing both regional and global markets.  

The fourth session was on Shared Cultural and Civilizational Heritage: The Path of Future Partnership. The chair for the session was Dr. Pham Cao Cuong with Dr. Ho Thi Thanh Nga, Researcher, Institute of Cultural Studies, VASS and Asst. Prof. Sonu Trivedi, Delhi University as the speakers. The discussants were Mr. Nguyen Thanh Ha and Dr. Prabir De. During this session, it was pointed out that the ties between India and Vietnam can be traced back to the 2^nd Century AD. This is reflected in the number of Hindu religious structures that dot the Vietnamese landscape. One significant such structure is the My Son Sanctuary – Shaivite temples built by Cham civilization from 4-14^th Century AD - and which was recognised in 1997 by UNESCO as a world heritage site. The script of the Cham Kingdom was influenced by the Brahmi script of India. Sanskrit inscriptions too have been found in Viet Nam. India and Viet Nam are partnering in conservation and restoration of temples at the My Son Sanctuary. The advent of Buddhism from India to Viet Nam is yet another testimony to age-old linkages between the two countries. 

During the valedictory session, Amb. Vijay Thakur Singh, DG, ICWA and Mr. Nguyen Thanh Ha, DG VASS emphasized the importance of further strengthening the India-Viet Nam bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the backdrop of a world in transition and in the context of promoting a stable, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

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