India and Vietnam
Defence, science and trade have been part of a comprehensive strategic partnership since 2016. Commission mechanisms and maritime dialogue maintain sectoral follow-up. Cooperation between states coexists with educational institutions and business activity operating on their own timetables.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07From diplomatic relations to partnership
The 2026 overview dates full diplomatic relations to January 1972 and the comprehensive strategic partnership to September 2016.
A commission with diverse responsibilities
The joint commission covers the economy, trade, science and technology; the overview records its October 2023 ministerial meeting.
The May 2026 bilateral overview
The ministry's overview brings together earlier developments and subsequent actions with their dates.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 18,441.55 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / IND |
| Goods: India to Vietnam | 6,056.8 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / IND |
| Goods: Vietnam to India | 12,384.75 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / IND |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: India to Vietnam | 1.36 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / IND |
| Export share: Vietnam to India | ||
| Investment stock: India in Vietnam | ||
| Investment stock: Vietnam in India |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / IND · Goods; full year; IND reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: India to Vietnam
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / IND · Goods; full year; IND reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Vietnam to India
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / IND · Goods; full year; IND reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Export share: India to Vietnam
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / IND · Goods share: IND exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Some annual indicators refer to different years. Check the period beside each value before comparing them.
| Indicator | India | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 3.96 trillion USD2025 · WB | 514.7 billion USD2025 · World Bank |
| GDP per capita | 2,702.48 USD2025 · WB | 5,065.99 USD2025 · World Bank |
| GDP growth | 7.57 %2025 · WB | 8.02 %2025 · World Bank |
| Policy interest rate | 5.25 %2026-10-06 · RBI | |
| Inflation · annual average | 2.4 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 3.31 %Annual average · 2025 · World Bank |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 4.82 %provisionalprovisionalYear-on-year · Aug. 2026 · MoSPI | |
| Unemployment | 4.22 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 1.52 %ILO est.2025 · World Bank |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -7.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -2.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 84.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 30.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -0.42 %2025 · WB | 6.33 %2024 · World Bank |
| Population | 1,463,865,5252025 · WB | 101,598,5272025 · World Bank |
| Area | 3,287,260 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 331,338 km²2023 · World Bank |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDIndia: 2025 · World BankVietnam: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personIndia: 2025 · World BankVietnam: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)India: 2025 · World BankVietnam: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)India: 2026-10-06 · RBI policy repo rate · Reserve Bank of India (RBI) · Access date for Current Rates; does not represent a new decision on 6 October. · Alternative official source; verified 2026-10-06
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)India: 2025 · Average annual CPI change (%) · World BankVietnam: 2025 · Annual average change in CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedIndia: 2026-08 · Headline CPI change relative to the same month of the previous year (%) · MoSPI / Press Information Bureau, Government of India · Published: 2026-09-14 · provisional · Provisional · Combined rural and urban headline CPI, 2024 base; provisional MoSPI figure. Not food or wholesale inflation. Provisional figure or official advance release; subject to revision.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionIndia: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Vietnam: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)India: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Vietnam: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)India: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Vietnam: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPIndia: 2025 · World BankVietnam: 2024 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleIndia: 2025 · World BankVietnam: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceIndia: 2023 · Total area including inland waters; territorial coverage of the source · World Bank · FAOVietnam: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
India to Vietnam
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 314.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 258 M USD2025 · Source |
| Land vehicles and components | 240.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 166.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 28.3 M USD2025 · Source |
Vietnam to India
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 5,557.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 1,513.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Land vehicles and components | 126.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 5.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 3.3 M USD2025 · Source |
Connections between people
Education, work, visits and community connections have their own records and procedures. Residents are not equivalent to annual arrivals, and visits may be repeated. The tables retain dates, definitions and sources to distinguish these connections from business contracts and government decisions. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from India living in Vietnam | ||
| Residents from Vietnam living in India | ||
| Study and training: India in Vietnam | ||
| Study and training: Vietnam in India | ||
| Academic stays: India in Vietnam | ||
| Academic stays: Vietnam in India | ||
| Travel: India to Vietnam | ||
| Travel: Vietnam to India |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
From diplomatic relations to partnership
The 2026 overview dates full diplomatic relations to January 1972 and the comprehensive strategic partnership to September 2016. In December 2020, the leaders adopted a vision for peace, prosperity and people. These milestones explain the relationship's architecture without turning a diplomatic designation into an automatic mutual defence obligation. [1]
A commission with diverse responsibilities
The joint commission covers the economy, trade, science and technology; the overview records its October 2023 ministerial meeting. It is a mechanism distinct from military contacts or business negotiations. Its existence enables follow-up on specific issues, but is not proof that all projects have been carried out. Each training or research programme has its own call for applications and scope. [1]
Regional security and cooperation
The relationship includes dialogue on security and maritime issues. The countries have their own interests and capabilities in the Indo-Pacific, which cannot be summarised by a trade figure. Cooperation on training, institutions and projects can develop without a general military alliance. Goods records cannot establish all naval assets deployed or the outcomes of security activities. [1]
The scale of the two economies
India recorded nominal GDP of 3,956.1 billion USD in 2025, compared with 514.7 in 2025 for Vietnam. The reference populations were 1,463.87 million (2025) and 101.6 million (2025), respectively. In the same year, India's nominal GDP was 7.69 times Vietnam's. These figures provide context on market size; they do not, on their own, describe well-being, individual wealth or political influence. IMF estimates and demographic extrapolations retain their labels in the table. No ratio is calculated when the periods differ. [3] [4] [5] [6]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
The May 2026 bilateral overview
The ministry's overview brings together earlier developments and subsequent actions with their dates. Its fiscal-year data are not mixed with customs calendar years. This profile uses that overview to explain institutions and sectors, retaining comparable statistics in its tables. A multi-year vision and export growth describe different dimensions of the relationship. [1]
Observed economic exchange
In 2025, recorded goods trade between India and Vietnam totalled 18,441.6 million USD. Shipments from India to Vietnam were 6,056.8 million USD; those in the reverse direction were 12,384.8 million USD. India's shipments to the partner represented 1.36% of its goods exports to the world, using the same year and reporter. A single customs reporting source is used for both directions. This annual flow does not include all services activity or affiliates' local sales and is not added to accumulated investment capital. [2]
Milestones and consequences
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Each figure retains its period, unit, definition and source. Announcements, contracts and results are not interchangeable. Empty cells do not mean zero. Customs data for 2025 are not presented as activity observed during later crises.
- India–Vietnam relationship overview
Ministry of External Affairs of India · Institutional source · Document: 2026-05 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 699; partners 0,392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704
UN Comtrade / IND · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- SP.POP.TOTL; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 27; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / IND · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 30; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / IND · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 84; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / IND · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 85; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / IND · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 87; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / IND · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / IND
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 27; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / IND
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 84; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / IND
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 85; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / IND
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 87; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / IND
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 30; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods.