India and Vietnam Eye Pivotal Role in Global Supply Chain Amid Shifting World Order

Vietnamese President To Lam on Wednesday called on Indian businesses to seize what he described as a significant and timely opportunity, one that could see India and Vietnam together assume a pivotal role in reshaping the global supply chain as the world order continues to evolve.

Addressing delegates at the India-Vietnam Business Forum held in Mumbai, President Lam extended a direct invitation to Indian companies, particularly those operating in cutting-edge technology sectors, to explore and expand their investments in Vietnam. He acknowledged that the bilateral relationship has faced its share of challenges in the past but expressed strong optimism about the road ahead.

Drawing on the deep historical roots binding the two nations, President Lam paid tribute to the foundational vision of former Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh and former Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, crediting their legacy as the bedrock of a friendship that has endured for decades. He noted that since 2016, bilateral relations have climbed to new heights, driven in large part by a growing sense of political trust between the two governments.

While President Lam acknowledged that the present global environment is undeniably challenging, marked by geopolitical uncertainty and shifting trade dynamics, he framed these very disruptions as an opening. In his view, the turbulence gripping global markets presents both countries with a genuine opportunity to elevate cooperation to an entirely new level. He was candid in noting that despite a solid foundation, the bilateral relationship has yet to produce a decisive breakthrough, but expressed confidence that the coming years will create the conditions for exactly that. Vietnam, he affirmed, is eager to deepen this partnership with India in meaningful and tangible ways.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also addressed the forum, struck an equally forward-looking tone.

He argued that the entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals driving the technology and manufacturing sectors in countries like India and Vietnam would ultimately be the architects of Asia's future. The two nations, he said, are uniquely positioned to shape what comes next for the continent.

Chief Minister Fadnavis pointed to the current era of global geopolitical instability and economic fragmentation as a backdrop against which India and Vietnam stand out for all the right reasons. He highlighted what he sees as the defining strengths of this partnership: a trusted bilateral relationship, stable governance frameworks, financial dynamism, and a long-term strategic orientation that gives investors and businesses the confidence to commit.

Fadnavis took the opportunity to showcase Maharashtra's growing infrastructure landscape, highlighting major development projects currently underway across Mumbai, Pune, Navi Mumbai, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Gadchiroli, and Nagpur. He made a pointed appeal to Vietnamese businesses to consider investing in Maharashtra, specifically calling out high-priority sectors including electric vehicles, semiconductors, logistics, supply chain infrastructure, and artificial intelligence. Beyond commerce, he also stressed the critical importance of nurturing people-to-people connections as the human thread that sustains any lasting strategic partnership.

On the cultural front, Fadnavis highlighted Buddhism as one of the most powerful bonds connecting India and Vietnam, using the occasion to invite Vietnamese tourists to experience the Ajanta and Ellora caves — which he described as the largest Buddhist cave complex in the world. He urged Vietnamese businesses to explore collaborative opportunities in Maharashtra's tourism and hospitality sectors, framing cultural exchange as both a natural extension of the bilateral relationship and a promising commercial frontier.

The forum concluded with the signing of eight Memoranda of Understanding in the presence of both President To Lam and Chief Minister Fadnavis, marking a concrete step forward in translating the day's commitments into action.