Vietnam-India People's Friendship Festivals: Journey Connecting Two Nations

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Co-organized by the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, the Vietnam-India Friendship Association, and the All India Peace and Solidarity Organization (AIPSO), the festival alternates between Vietnam and India. It provides a platform for meaningful exchanges between the peoples of both countries while fostering opportunities for extensive cooperation in various fields such as economics, culture, and education.

The 6th Vietnam-India People's Friendship Festival in Hanoi.

First Vietnam-India People’s Friendship Festival (September 2–10, 2007)

Themed "India - Vietnam: Together Marching Towards Peace and Prosperity," the inaugural festival took place across the Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar, and New Delhi. The Vietnamese delegation, comprising 34 members, was led by Tran Dac Loi, permanent vice chairman of the Viet Bam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO). Notably, Nguyen Thi Binh, former vice president of Vietnam, and chairwoman of the Vietnam Peace and Development Foundation, attended as the guest of honor. The delegation also included representatives from government agencies, organizations, artists, business representatives, and media outlets.

Organized by AIPSO in collaboration with local governments, political parties, and mass organizations, the festival featured a diverse array of activities including meetings, large public events, thematic seminars, cultural exchanges, trade promotion sessions, press conferences, and visits to historical and cultural landmarks in India.

The festival garnered significant attention from Indian political circles and the public. The opening ceremony, attended by 15,000 people, included senior Indian leaders such as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, India’s Minister of External Affairs, and the Chief Minister of West Bengal. During the festival, the President of India and Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of the Indian National Congress and the United Progressive Alliance, warmly received Nguyen Thi Binh.

Second Vietnam-India People’s Friendship Festival (August 10–15, 2008)

The second festival was held in Hanoi, Quang Ninh, and Ho Chi Minh City. The Indian delegation, consisting of 54 members representing various mass organizations, political parties, businesses, and artists from across India, was coordinated and led by Pallab Sengupta, politburo member of the Communist Party of India.

On behalf of the Vietnamese leadership, Former President Nguyen Minh Triet received the Indian delegation. The grand opening ceremony was held at the Ho Chi Minh Museum Auditorium. The delegation also met with leaders of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Simultaneously, eight working groups from the Indian delegation engaged with various Vietnamese institutions, including the National Assembly, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Public Administration, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Vietnam Women’s Union, the Central Youth Union, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet, and the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Center.

Third Vietnam-India People’s Friendship Festival (December 8–15, 2009)

The third festival was held in three Indian states, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. The Vietnamese delegation, led by Tran Dac Loi, permanent vice chairman of VUFO, comprised 25 members, including representatives from various ministries, organizations, businesses, and artists.

The opening ceremony was hosted in Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh in southern India. During the festival, the Vietnamese delegation participated in discussions with representatives from Indian political parties, seminars on Vietnam-India relations, cultural exchanges, traditional music and dance performances, and exhibitions showcasing Vietnamese publications and materials.

Fourth Vietnam-India People’s Friendship Festival (September 18–24, 2011)

The fourth festival took place in Vietnam against the backdrop of preparations for the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations (January 7, 1972-January 7, 2012) and the fifth anniversary of the Strategic Partnership (July 2007-July 2012). The Indian delegation, comprising 26 members from political parties, mass organizations, parliamentarians, businesses, and artists, represented both central and state levels, including Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Bihar. The delegation was led by Yadav Reddy Komplally, general secretary of AIPSO, a member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, and a leader of the Andhra Pradesh State Congress Party.

Former Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan welcomed key Indian delegation leaders. The opening ceremony was held with grandeur, attended by Former Vice President Doan, the Indian Ambassador to Vietnam, representatives of various Vietnamese ministries and sectors, and a large audience from Hanoi.

Fifth Vietnam-India People’s Friendship Festival (December 14–19, 2012)

The festival took place in Pondicherry (a Union Territory) and Chennai (the capital of Tamil Nadu, India). The Vietnamese delegation, comprising 30 members, included groups representing politics, media, and performing arts, led by Nguyen Thi Hoang Van, general secretary of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO).

During the festival, the Vietnamese delegation paid courtesy visits to the Chief Minister of Pondicherry and engaged with the local branches of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu. The delegation also met with local AIPSO organizations and interacted with local media outlets.

The cultural performances were grand and attracted significant public interest in India. The opening ceremony, held in Pondicherry’s central square, drew an audience of over 10,000 people and was broadcast live on local television. This marked the first time a Vietnamese cultural troupe performed in Pondicherry, generating enthusiastic public engagement in a territory with historical parallels to Vietnam.

Sixth Vietnam-India People’s Friendship Festival (October 20–26, 2013)

The sixth festival was held in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam). The Indian delegation, consisting of 30 members representing political, social, and cultural organizations, was led by D.P. Tripathi, general secretary of the Nationalist Congress Party and vice president of AIPSO.

In Hanoi, the delegation visited President Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, his residence and workplace, and the Indira Gandhi monument. They also visited Tran Quoc Pagoda, where they viewed a sacred Bodhi tree gifted by Indian President Rajendra Prasad to Ho Chi Minh in 1957. The delegation was received by Vietnam’s senior Party and State leaders. In Da Nang, they attended a seminar on Vietnam-India cultural exchanges and explored Cham cultural heritage. In Ho Chi Minh City, they visited the Cu Chi Tunnels, leaving a lasting impression on the Indian delegates.

Seventh Vietnam-India People’s Friendship Festival (October 26–November 2, 2015)

The festival was held across Telangana and Karnataka, India. The 30-member Vietnamese delegation, led by Vu Xuan Hong, former chairman of VUFO, engaged with the local Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) branches and AIPSO at both central and local levels. They also gave interviews to regional media outlets and conducted seven cultural exchange performances, attracting thousands of Indian participants from various walks of life.

The opening ceremony in Hyderabad featured Telangana Ministers Naini Narasimha Reddy (Home, Fire Services, Welfare, Labor & Employment) and Etela Rajender (Finance and Planning) along with leaders of local leftist parties. The cultural performances, held at seven venues across Telangana and Karnataka, showcased the rich cultural heritage of both countries, drawing significant public interest. Particularly notable was the event in Tumkur, where thousands of locals paraded through the streets with flags, banners, and traditional drum music.

Eighth Vietnam-India People’s Friendship Festival (December 2–18, 2016)

The Indian delegation, comprising 34 members from various political parties (including the National Congress Party, CPI, CPI-M, and others), mass organizations (such as AIPSO, youth unions, and labor unions), and artists from multiple states including Karnataka, Telangana, Uttarakhand, and Puducherry, visited Vietnam.

In addition to political activities, the delegation gained insights into Vietnam’s current affairs through interactions with local VUFO chapters in Hanoi, Can Tho, and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as visits to the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute and Birla Children’s Village.

Ninth Vietnam-India People’s Friendship Festival (August 31–September 6, 2017)

The ninth festival was held across New Delhi, Chandigarh, and Shimla (India). The 28-member Vietnamese delegation, led by Bui Khac Son, former vice chairman of VUFO, engaged with CPI, CPI-M, and AIPSO leadership at both central and regional levels. The delegation also participated in forums, interacted with intellectuals in Punjab, and gave interviews to local media outlets.

The delegation conducted four cultural exchange performances, attended by city mayors, state legal association presidents, and numerous local officials, political groups, and community organizations.

An art performance by Indian artists within the framework of the 10th Vietnam-India People's Friendship Festival in Khanh Hoa.

Tenth Vietnam-India People’s Friendship Festival (August 12–19, 2019)

The tenth festival took place in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Khanh Hoa, and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam). The 30-member Indian delegation, led by Sri Pallab Sengupta, politburo member of CPI and general secretary of AIPSO, participated in activities such as the opening ceremony in Ninh Binh and a friendship seminar in Hanoi. The seminar reflected on the outcomes of previous festivals and discussed future collaboration. The delegation also enjoyed cultural exchanges in Khanh Hoa and Ho Chi Minh City, and visited historical and scenic sites in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Eleventh Vietnam-India People’s Friendship Festival (December 1–6, 2023)

The eleventh festival was held in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry (India). The 22-member Vietnamese delegation, led by Ha Minh Hue, former permanent vice president of the Vietnam Journalists Association and vice president-general secretary of the Vietnam-India Friendship Association, participated in various activities.

The delegation paid courtesy visits to Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy and Puducherry Minister of Tourism K. Lakshminarayanan. They also engaged with Tamil Nadu and Puducherry branches of CPI, CPI-M, and the Indian National Congress Party.

The opening ceremony in Chennai, Tamil Nadu’s capital, was attended by Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Minister Ma. Subramanian, Minister P.K. Sekar Babu, and Pallab Sengupta, chairman of the World Peace Council and AIPSO. The Vietnamese delegation, in collaboration with AIPSO, organized four cultural performances and exchanges at cultural centers, universities, and schools in Chennai, Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry.

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