India Vietnam relations have been exceptionally friendly and cordial since their foundations were laid by Prime Minister Nehru and President Ho Chi Minh more than 50 years ago. The traditionally close and cordial relations have their historical roots in the common struggle for liberation from foreign rule and the national struggle for independence. The father of Vietnam's freedom struggle, the late President Ho Chi Minh, is known to have had contacts with Indian freedom fighters including Jawaharlal Nehru whom he had reportedly met at a Conference on anti-colonialism at Brussels in 1927. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was one of the first visitors to Vietnam after its glorious victory against the French at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. President Ho Chi Minh went to India in February, 1958. President Rajendra Prasad visited Vietnam in 1959. Full diplomatic relations were established on 7th January, 1972.
The former General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Le Duan, visited India in September 1984 and President Truong Chinh in October 1984. Political contacts at the highest level continued with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visiting Vietnam in November 1985 and again for a stopover visit on April 16, 1988. President Venkataraman visited Hanoi in April, 1991 and Vice President Shri K.R. Narayanan in September 1993. The bilateral relations were further strengthened with General Secretary Do Muoi’s visit in September 1992 followed by Prime Minister Shri P. V. Narsimha Rao’s visit to Vietnam in September, 1994. Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet and President Tran Duc Luong visited India in January 1997 and December 1999 respectively. Former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee paid a State visit to Vietnam in 2001. Mr. Nong Duc Manh, General Secretary of Communist party of Vietnam, visited India in Apr-May 2003. The Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly accompanied by a 20-member delegation paid an official visit to India in April 1994. An Indian Parliamentary delegation led by Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha Shri Somanth Chatterjee visited Vietnam in March 2007.
The momentum of high-level visits from both sides has since continued. Mr.Nguyen Tan Dung, Prime Minister of Vietnam visited India in July 2007 followed by the visit of Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, President of India to Vietnam in Nov 2008. The bilateral relations were provided a fresh impetus with the signing of the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership between India and Vietnam in July 2007.
The two countries have signed several agreements, notably among them are Agreement on Cooperation in Science and Technology, Cultural Exchange Programme, Exchange in the field of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Educational Exchange Programme, Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement, Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement and the Consular Agreement. India and Vietnam enjoy a strategic understanding at regional and multilateral fora like ASEAN, East Asia Summit, ASEM and international organisations like WTO and UN.