INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: VIETNAM - INDIA COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP: A DECADE OF CONSOLIDATION AND FUTURE VISION (2016–2026)

HO CHI MINH CITY, October 30, 2026 — Today, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City (USSH, VNU-HCM) solemnly organized an International Conference themed Vietnam - India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: A Decade of Consolidation and Future Vision (2016–2026) at the Van Khoa Hall, Saigon campus.

The event took place from 9:00 to 17:00 on October 30, 2026, attracting the participation of diplomats, researchers, and leading scholars from Vietnam, India, and Indonesia, along with numerous faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduates.

The conference was honored to welcome special guests:

- Mr. Tshering Wangchuk Sherpa, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to Vietnam.

- Dr. Vipra Pandey, Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City.

- Dr. Sushil Kumar, Director, Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA).

- Representatives from diplomatic agencies, international organizations, universities, and research institutes both domestic and abroad.

Delivering the opening speech, a representative of the University Board of USSH, VNU-HCM, Dr. Le Hoang Dung, Vice President, emphasized that the Vietnam – India relationship originated from a historical-cultural foundation connected for thousands of years through maritime trade routes and the spread of Buddhism and Hinduism. In the modern era, the traditional friendship continues to be cultivated by President Ho Chi Minh, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and generations of leaders and people of both countries.

The year 2026 is an important milestone to look back at the 10-year journey of upgrading the 2007 Vietnam-India Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2016.  The conference is an important academic forum aimed at:

- Comprehensively evaluating achievements: Analyzing breakthrough developments across cooperation pillars such as politics-security, economy-trade, science-technology, education, and humanistic exchanges.

- Discussing new challenges: Placing the bilateral relationship in the context of the rapidly changing geopolitical-economic landscape of the Indo-Pacific region.

- Proposing solutions & Future vision: Suggesting strategies to promote in-depth cooperation, green transition, innovation, and strengthening cultural-academic ties between the two countries in the next phase.

Presenting the keynote report at the opening session of the conference, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Thi Hong Xuan, Head of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, USSH, VNU-HCM, emphasized: “The year 2026 marks a full decade since Vietnam and India upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This is a meaningful time to look back at the results achieved, identify new movements, and discuss the direction of cooperation between the two countries in the coming period.”

The Organizing Committee received 41 full papers from researchers both domestic and international, approaching the relationship between the two countries from diverse fields: international relations, economics, trade, defense, security, culture, religion, education, and sustainable development. The conference included 5 sessions: 1 plenary session and 4 panel sessions. 

Images of the panel sessions at the conference:

Indian Studies Section