Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng Meets with Indian Corporate Giants and WTO Chief to Boost Aviation, Green Energy, and Global Trade Integration

On September 12, during his official visit to India to attend the landmark 18th BRICS Summit, Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng engaged in a series of high-level meetings with key international economic organizations, financial institutions, and prominent global conglomerates. These strategic discussions underscored Vietnam’s unwavering commitment to sustainable economic growth, green transformation, and deeper integration into regional and global value chains. The Prime Minister’s engagements with leaders from GMR Group, ACME Group, and the World Trade Organization (WTO) highlighted the country’s forward-looking economic policies and its growing appeal as a premier destination for high-tech foreign direct investment (FDI).

Strategic Focus on Aviation Infrastructure and Regional Connectivity

A cornerstone of Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng’s itinerary in India was bolstering bilateral economic ties through enhanced infrastructure development, with a specific emphasis on the aviation sector. During his meeting with Mr. Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao, Chairman of the GMR Group—one of India’s leading infrastructure conglomerates—the Prime Minister emphasized that modernizing and expanding aviation infrastructure remains a top national priority for Vietnam. This focus is critical for enhancing international connectivity, stimulating tourism, boosting trade, and attracting high-quality foreign investments.

Vietnam has laid out an ambitious master plan for its aviation sector, aiming to develop a comprehensive network of 36 airports by 2030, with further expansions projected through 2050 to accommodate surging passenger and cargo volumes. Commending GMR Group’s interest in exploring cooperative opportunities in Vietnam, Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng formally invited the conglomerate to research and participate in various viable projects. These include the development and operation of airports, airport cities, commercial aviation operations, aviation service ecosystems, airport digital transformation, and smart aviation technologies. Furthermore, the Vietnamese leader encouraged GMR Group to share its extensive industry expertise, facilitate technology transfer, and contribute to workforce training programs to elevate Vietnam’s aviation human resources to international standards.

Chairman Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao expressed strong enthusiasm for expanding GMR Group’s footprint in Vietnam, specifically targeting the aviation and airport infrastructure sectors. He noted that in May 2026, GMR signed strategic cooperation memoranda with several Vietnamese enterprises to research joint ventures in airport development, management, specialized advisory services, and technological solutions. The Chairman reiterated GMR’s long-term commitment to contributing meaningfully to Vietnam’s aviation modernization journey.

Advancing Green Energy and Sustainable Industrial Value Chains

In addition to aviation, Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng held a pivotal discussion with Mr. Sanjay Dhawan, Vice Chairman of ACME Group, a pioneering Indian multinational in the renewable energy and sustainable development sectors. ACME Group has already successfully developed over 8 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity in India and is actively expanding its global footprint.

Although ACME has yet to launch direct large-scale investments within Vietnam, the corporation has already established foundational framework agreements with Vietnamese partners to secure long-term raw material supply chains for green steel production. Vice Chairman Sanjay Dhawan affirmed ACME’s strong desire to collaborate with Vietnam across multiple pillars, including raw material value chain development, direct investment, technology transfer, international trade, and cutting-edge clean energy projects.

Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng welcomed ACME’s technological capabilities and encouraged the company to scale up its investments in Vietnam’s high-growth sectors, particularly renewable energy, green industries, and advanced materials. He also lauded ACME’s efforts to strengthen business-to-business networks with Vietnamese enterprises focused on carbon reduction solutions.

The Prime Minister outlined Vietnam’s ongoing legislative efforts, notably the upcoming amendments to the Investment Law, which represent a strategic shift from broad-based investment attraction to selective, high-value FDI acquisition. Under this refined framework, Vietnam prioritizes advanced technology projects that generate high added value, integrate seamlessly into global value chains, and actively contribute to the nation’s green transition. Consequently, Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng proposed that ACME study the implementation of scaled projects that connect with regional markets, transforming Vietnam from a mere consumer of green products into a critical regional manufacturing hub and a vital link in the regional value chain. He expressed hope that ACME would emerge as a trailblazing Indian enterprise implementing exemplary cooperative projects utilizing next-generation technologies.

WTO Praises Vietnam’s Economic Resilience and Multilateral Commitment

The diplomatic and economic engagements in India also featured a high-level dialogue between Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO). During the meeting, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala extended her congratulations on Vietnam’s remarkable and consistent economic performance, noting that the country’s robust macroeconomic indicators reflect exemplary macroeconomic management by the Vietnamese Government.

The WTO Director-General hailed Vietnam as a stellar example of the profound successes achievable through the WTO and the rules-based multilateral trading system. She expressed a strong desire for Vietnam to share its invaluable development and international integration experiences with other developing nations striving to modernize their economies. Furthermore, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala welcomed Vietnam’s recent ratification of the Protocol Amending the Agreement on TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) and its participation in the Multiparty Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA). She emphasized that these milestones demonstrate Vietnam’s steadfast commitment and high sense of responsibility toward strengthening the multilateral trading system.

Reaffirming the organization’s dedication, the WTO chief stated that the institution will continue to accompany and support Vietnam throughout its international economic integration process. In return, she expressed hope that Vietnam will continue to support ongoing WTO reform initiatives and assist developing nations seeking accession to the global trade body.

Broader Implications and Future Outlook

The series of high-level meetings held during the 18th BRICS Summit week signal a transformative phase in Vietnam-India economic relations. By forging deeper partnerships with global leaders in critical sectors such as aviation infrastructure, renewable energy, and sustainable manufacturing, Vietnam is systematically positioning itself as a central node in regional economic frameworks.

The convergence of Vietnamese strategic policy reforms—emphasizing selective, high-tech, and green investments—with the capital and technical expertise of Indian conglomerates like GMR and ACME creates a synergistic environment for long-term growth. As Vietnam continues to refine its legal frameworks and uphold its multilateral trade obligations under the guidance of organizations like the WTO, the country is well-equipped to navigate global economic shifts while accelerating its trajectory toward sustainable, high-income status by 2045.