New Delhi, August 31. India has stepped up diplomatic engagement with Vietnam and Laos, with Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles Pabitra Margherita undertaking an official visit to the two Southeast Asian countries from August 26 to 29 to review bilateral ties and explore avenues for deeper cooperation.
The visit to Vietnam provided an opportunity to take stock of progress in bilateral relations following the state visit of Vietnamese General Secretary and President To Lam to India in May 2026.
In Hanoi, Margherita paid tribute to Vietnamese revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh by laying a wreath at his mausoleum. He held discussions with Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Senior Lieutenant General Le Tan Toi, Chairman of the National Assembly Committee for Defence, Security and External Affairs.
The two sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and discussed ways to expand cooperation across a range of sectors.
The Minister also delivered the keynote address at a conference organised by the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) and met its President, Le Van Loi. He visited the Phap Van Pagoda, where he interacted with the Chief Abbot and planted a sapling under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative.
As part of efforts to deepen people-to-people and economic linkages, Margherita held separate interactions with representatives of Vietnam’s tourism and textile sectors, as well as alumni of India’s Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programmes.
He also visited Garco 10 Corporation, a major Vietnamese apparel manufacturer, and interacted with members of the Indian community in Vietnam. He reaffirmed India’s commitment to the welfare of the Indian diaspora and appreciated its contribution to strengthening bilateral ties.
India-Laos ties
Margherita’s subsequent visit to Lao PDR from August 27 to 29 coincided with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Laos.
In Vientiane, he held meetings with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Gen Khamlieng Outhakaysone, and Deputy Foreign Minister Anouparb Vongnorkeo.
The discussions covered various aspects of bilateral relations, with both sides exploring measures to further strengthen their partnership.
Margherita also delivered the keynote address at a joint seminar titled ‘India-Lao PDR at 70’ and inaugurated a project aimed at preserving the Phlak-Phlam traditional dance and developing Laos’s National Arts College.
He also interacted with stakeholders from the Lao tourism and textile sectors, besides meeting ITEC and ICCR alumni and members of the Indian community in Vientiane.
During his visit to Luang Prabang, Margherita visited the site of India’s ‘Conservation and Restoration of Murals at Wat Pa Khae Temple’ project and witnessed the exchange of a memorandum of understanding for the initiative.
He also visited Indian-supported Quick Impact Project sites, including the Bodhi Tree at Mount Phou Si and the Ramayana Theatre.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the visit further strengthened India’s bilateral partnerships with Vietnam and Lao PDR under its Act East Policy and reaffirmed New Delhi’s commitment to ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
