Vietnam’s NA Chairman Visit to India Underlines Increasing Trade

• Vietnam’s Nationwide Meeting Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue’s current go to to India underlines the significance of commerce and strategic ties between each international locations.
• Bilateral commerce between India and Vietnam has been steadily rising over the previous 20 years with important scope for commerce in prescription drugs, oil and fuel, and IT providers.
• As each international locations look to bounce again after the pandemic, the India-Vietnam relationship stays sturdy with important potential estimated at US$1.1 billion in bilateral commerce quantity.

Vietnam’s Nationwide Meeting (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue visited India from December 15 to 19 to assist deepen methods ties between each international locations. The go to was a part of the NA Chairman’s go to to South Korea and India to spice up cooperation in financial commerce, funding, and cultural ties that included a number of authorities ministers together with Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai.

Vietnam and India will have fun 50 years of shut ties in 2022 with occasions deliberate for the anniversary.

Rising funding, commerce, and cooperation

Throughout Hue’s go to to India, the 2 sides agreed to develop cooperation in power, know-how, sustainable growth, inexperienced economic system, and local weather change. Each international locations additionally need to reopen direct air routes and acknowledge one another’s vaccine passports to spice up commerce and folks motion.

As a part of the go to, India’s Bharat Biotech which manufactures the Covaxin COVID-19 vaccine donated 200,000 doses of the vaccine for kids, whereas one ton of uncooked supplies for pandemic drug manufacturing and medical supplies have been despatched.

As well as, each international locations signed key agreements together with 12 MoUs in a number of areas resembling know-how aviation, web of issues (IoT) blockchain, infrastructure, in addition to petrochemical refinery initiatives, and oil and fuel processing.

Vietnam and India have shared sturdy bilateral relations traditionally, and for the previous 20 years, commerce between the 2 international locations has risen significantly. These financial ties have materialized into a number of Indian investments in Vietnam in numerous sectors.

Vietnam is a vital nation for India in its Act Simple Coverage and Indo-Pacific Technique within the Southeast Asian area.

The large volatility within the world commerce atmosphere has pushed companies into diversifying their provide chains away from China, which has elevated the significance of the India-Vietnam commerce route for worldwide enterprise.

India, which is likely one of the fastest-growing economies on this planet, at the moment ranks fifth globally when it comes to GDP. The ASEAN-India Free Commerce Space (AIFTA), which Vietnam is part of, was established in 2009 because of convergence in pursuits of all events in advancing their financial ties throughout the Asia-Pacific.

Vietnam’s manufacturing business has quickly emerged as a extremely efficient location for incoming electronics and telecom producers who’re relocating from China as a result of elevated prices and the US-China commerce conflict. The nation has bolstered investor confidence with fast and environment friendly containment of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vietnam is changing into a number one alternative for main firms trying to arrange their new manufacturing hubs and diversify their provide chains.

India has important experience in IT providers, prescription drugs, and oil & fuel, all of which may considerably profit Vietnam. Moreover, there are export alternatives in zinc, iron, metal, and man-made staple fibers from India to Vietnam.

A big center class in India’s 1.3 billion inhabitants and its customs-duty exemption for ASEAN merchandise make it a profitable vacation spot for Vietnamese exports. There’s a notable scope for the event of providers associated to wholesale & retail commerce, transportation & storage, enterprise assist together with commerce alternatives in cotton and knitted clothes.

Bilateral commerce

Over the previous 20 years, bilateral commerce between Vietnam and India has steadily grown from US$200 million in 2000 to US$12.3 billion within the monetary yr 2019-2020.

The 2 international locations aimed to lift bilateral commerce to US$15 billion by 2020, however COVID-19 associated commerce disruption resulted in a 9.9 % commerce shrinkage to US$12.3 billion within the final monetary yr. Vietnam has emerged because the 18th largest buying and selling accomplice of India, whereas the latter ranks twenty third out of 141 international locations investing in Vietnam. India has about 351 initiatives in Vietnam with registered capital of US$991.76 million as per the Ministry of Planning and Funding (MPI).

Exports from Vietnam to India embody cell phones, digital elements, equipment, laptop know-how, pure rubber, chemical compounds, and occasional. However, its key imports from India embody meat and fishery merchandise, corn, metal, prescription drugs, cotton, and equipment.

After India introduced its resolution to opt-out of the Regional Complete Financial Partnership (RCEP), the ASEAN-India FTA is anticipated to be reviewed to compensate for the potential commerce loss.

Overseas direct funding

Vietnam’s strategic location near present manufacturing hubs, its favorable place in accessing different Southeast Asian markets, and its proactive method in direction of opening its markets to the world has helped it acquire recognition as a horny manufacturing and sourcing location.

The rising significance of Vietnam in world provide chains has the potential to strengthen India-Vietnam ties additional. India is estimated to have invested almost US$2 billion in Vietnam together with funds channeled by way of different international locations. Over 200 Indian funding initiatives in Vietnam are primarily targeted on sectors together with power, mineral exploration, agrochemicals, sugar, tea, espresso manufacturing, IT, and auto elements. A number of main Indian companies resembling Adani Group, Mahindra, chemical compounds main SRF, and renewables large Suzlon have proven curiosity in venturing into Vietnam.

India’s salt to IT conglomerate Tata Espresso not too long ago inaugurated their 5000 MTPA freeze-dried espresso manufacturing plant in Binh Duong province of Vietnam final yr. This US$50 million espresso facility was commissioned inside 19 months of the ground-breaking ceremony.

One other instance is HCL Know-how Group, which is contemplating establishing a US$650 million know-how heart in Vietnam and plans to recruit and prepare over 10,000 engineers throughout the subsequent 5 years.

With the implementation of main infrastructure initiatives like Tata Energy’s Lengthy Phu – II 1320 MW thermal energy undertaking value US$2.2 billion, the funding figures are anticipated to rise significantly. The thermal energy undertaking was first coined in 2013 and was initially anticipated to be totally operational by 2022, however the revised seventh Energy Improvement Plan (PDP7) signifies an eight-year delay, shifting its launch to 2030.

This delay seems to be as a result of Vietnam’s shift towards renewable power. Nonetheless, alternatives stay for Indian traders within the renewable power business, particularly in photo voltaic and wind as a result of elevated energy demand. Reviews point out that the Tata group is in talks of investing additional in solar- and wind-power initiatives.

Following Hue’s go to, India’s Essar Group has eyed additional funding in Vietnam for oil and fuel discovery. The group together with Italy’s ENI has already invested US$300 million in hydrocarbon block 114 positioned offshore Central Vietnam with roughly 2 billion barrels of oil and fuel.

As well as, Vietnam’s petrochemical agency Vinh Son Refining and Petrochemical JSC (BSR), plans to cooperate with India’s state-owned Indian Oil to develop petrochemical refinery initiatives in Vietnam, India, and different international locations.

Alternatives for Indian traders

Vietnam offers a number of profitable causes to take a position resembling elevated entry to markets, favorable funding insurance policies, free commerce agreements, financial progress, political stability, low labor prices, and a younger workforce. As per a Commonplace Chartered report on commerce alternatives, Vietnam’s exports to India have the potential to develop by 10 % yearly, or roughly US$633 million. This projected progress is primarily targeted on items export (53 %) and providers (46 %).

Pharmaceutical

Vietnam’s home pharmaceutical business is at the moment capable of meet simply 53 % of the nation’s demand, representing important alternatives for Indian traders as India is among the many main world producers of generic medicines supplying 20 % of complete world demand by quantity. There is a gigantic potential for Vietnam to buy generic medicines from India, however the former is actively making an attempt to get Indian pharmaceutical firms to fabricate in Vietnam as a substitute of importing.

Agriculture

Vietnam is in search of alternate patrons for its agricultural exports, after the discount in demand from China as a result of pandemic. Lifting India’s commerce limitations on the import of agricultural merchandise can open a brand new marketplace for Vietnamese agricultural exporters. Additionally, there’s a important potential for funding in breeding know-how, irrigation know-how, and storage amenities. Vietnam’s topography, local weather, and fertile soil make it appropriate for espresso plantations. The TATA group has expressed plans of investing within the set up of agricultural equipment to serve demand within the Mekong Delta.

Tourism

The tourism business in Vietnam is a largely untapped market sector for Indian companies, which is more likely to acquire sturdy traction after the pandemic. The nation obtained over 15.5 million worldwide arrivals in 2018, a seven-fold improve from 2.1 million in 2000. Over 31,400 Vietnamese visited India the identical yr, a 32 % improve from the earlier yr. India is a most well-liked vacation spot for Vietnamese pilgrims and medical vacationers.

India’s low-cost service Indigo launched direct flights linking India’s Kolkata with Vietnam’s Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh Metropolis in November 2019. Following this launch, Vietnamese low-cost service, Vietjet Air began direct flights connecting India’s New Delhi with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh Metropolis. Improved connectivity will assist Vietnam in diversifying its tourism portfolio, which at the moment is essentially depending on Chinese language and South Korean vacationers. With China’s tourism market probably locked for the foreseeable future as a result of pandemic, direct flights between Vietnam and India wouldn’t solely assist the tourism business but additionally facilitate enterprise offers and funding.

SMEs

SMEs play a big function in each India’s and Vietnam’s economies. Earlier within the yr, India and Vietnam held a promotion convention titled ‘Boosting trade-investment cooperation alternatives between Vietnamese and Indian SMEs’ organized by Vietnam’s Commerce Workplace of the Vietnamese Embassy in India, India’s Uttar Pradesh state authorities, the Indian Industries Affiliation (IIA), and Vietnam’s Hanoi SME Affiliation. The takeaway was that a number of main companies have proven curiosity in coming to Vietnam.

The IIA famous that Vietnam is trying to entice funding in sectors resembling power, mineral exploration, agriculture, tea, IT, and cars. Nonetheless, challenges stay concerning excessive company revenue tax charges for particular sectors resembling oil and fuel.

SMEs contribute near 40 % of India’s exports but additionally want authorities assist to thrive. Indian SMEs must additional internationalize. For instance, India’s Tamil Nadu state has a diversified manufacturing business dominated by SMEs with plenty of factories and particular financial zones. Nevertheless, in the meanwhile, SMEs in Tamil Nadu are but to hook up with enterprise alternatives in Vietnam. It is a missed alternative. As per ADB such companies can join by means of India’s Market Entry Initiative and Market Improvement Help schemes to faucet into potential companies and market sectors.

Aside from streamlining regulatory requirements between each international locations, each governments may even have to carry seminars, occasions, and commerce festivals to make sure that SME are conscious of the varied alternatives within the related market fields.

Supporting industries

Vietnam is a horny vacation spot to provide and export, because of its assortment of free commerce agreements with a number of international locations, permitting merchandise to be exported to those international locations with enticing low tariffs. There’s a want for the event of the native supporting business to assist main producers, and Indian companies have the potential to fill the gaps on this sector.

Takeaways

With Vietnam’s sturdy financial progress prior to now few years, a evaluate of the India-ASEAN free commerce settlement is important to foster additional commerce in promising rising sectors between each international locations. 

As identified by the Commonplace Chartered report, there’s appreciable scope to extend commerce between India and Vietnam ought to each governments take a proactive method to commerce and funding and understand this potential.