India’s Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla (left) and Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue in their meeting in Hanoi in April 2022. The late PM’s statement has stood the test of time, given that now the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, according to moderndiplomacy.eu. From “Bilateral Relations” to “Strategic Partnership” to now a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”, the two countries have always shared close diplomatic ties which is a result of their shared experience of national struggles for independence. India’s Indo-Pacific Vision is positive and inclusive of nations and beyond who have a stake in it. Vietnam yet again plays a key role in the region and in India’s vision, especially with respect to the area of East Sea.