On the afternoon of March 30, leaders of the Can Tho City People’s Committee held a working meeting with Mr. Vipra Pandey, Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City, to strengthen bilateral ties, expand investment linkages, and promote potential areas of cooperation between the city and Indian partners.

Speaking at the meeting, Vice Chairman of the Can Tho People’s Committee Nguyen Van Khoi emphasized that the Consul General’s visit carries significant importance, reaffirming the long-standing friendship, trust, and increasingly substantive cooperation between Vietnam and India. In particular, participation in the 2026 Friendship Tree Planting Ceremony in the city not only conveys a message of green and sustainable development but also demonstrates shared responsibility in responding to climate change, while fostering solidarity between the peoples of both countries.

Vice Chairman of the Can Tho People’s Committee, Nguyen Van Khoi, holds a working meeting with with Mr. Vipra Pandey, Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City

Expanded Development Space, Reinforced Regional Hub Role

City leaders noted that following administrative reorganization and the consolidation of development space, Can Tho now spans approximately 6,360 square kilometers, with a population exceeding 3.2 million across 103 communes and wards. This expansion creates substantial room for socio-economic growth while strengthening the city’s role as a key growth engine of the Mekong Delta region.

During the 2021 - 2025 period, the city maintained an average annual growth rate of around 7.4%, reaching 7.23% in 2025. The economy is valued at roughly VND 312 trillion, with per capita GRDP of approximately VND 95 million. Total social investment in 2025 surpassed VND 84 trillion, while the proportion of trained workers reached about 73%. These figures underscore the city’s dynamic, stable, and sustainable development trajectory.

At the same time, transport infrastructure, logistics systems, and regional connectivity have continued to improve, reinforcing Can Tho’s strategic position. The city currently operates 9 industrial parks covering more than 3,000 hectares, with plans to expand to approximately 3,640 hectares, ready to meet the needs of both domestic and foreign investors. The investment and business environment has been steadily enhanced in a more transparent, favorable, and competitive direction.

  Cooperation with India: Strong Foundation, Ample Potential

In recent years, cooperation between Can Tho and Indian partners has yielded notable results across investment, trade, education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.

The city currently hosts 4 Indian FDI projects with a total registered capital of around USD 3 million, primarily in renewable energy. Although modest in scale, these projects provide an important foundation for expanding investment cooperation in higher-potential sectors.

In trade, Can Tho’s exports to India reached approximately USD 3.5 million in 2025, focusing on seafood, agricultural products, and garments. Meanwhile, imports exceeded USD 57 million, mainly comprising pharmaceutical materials, fertilizers, chemicals, and production inputs. This imbalance suggests considerable room for more balanced and sustainable bilateral trade growth.

Advancing Education, Training, and People-to-People Exchanges

Education and training stand out as a key pillar of cooperation. Nearly 600 Indian citizens and students are currently living and studying in Can Tho, most of them enrolled at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy and Nam Can Tho University. In parallel, various academic exchange programs, training initiatives, and scholarship schemes have been effectively implemented.

Local agencies and institutions have also actively participated in training programs in India, contributing to improvements in human resource quality, particularly in science and technology, governance, and innovation. This serves as a vital foundation for long-term cooperation, enhancing mutual understanding and connectivity.

Cultural and academic exchanges, along with community activities such as International Yoga Day, seminars, workshops, and joint programs, have been regularly organized and diversified, further deepening the traditional friendship between the peoples of Vietnam and India.

Leaders of the Can Tho People’s Committee and the Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City exchange commemorative gifts

Expanding Investment Connectivity Toward Strategic Sectors

At the meeting, Can Tho leaders called on the Consul General and the Indian Consulate General to continue serving as a bridge for business connections and to promote investment in priority sectors, including processing industries, renewable energy, logistics, high-tech agriculture, and digital technology.

The city also aims to strengthen cooperation in sustainable agriculture, urban and transport infrastructure, science and technology, and innovation, while identifying education and healthcare as strategic pillars for developing high-quality human resources and expanding professional exchanges.

The Indian side noted growing interest among Indian enterprises in exploring investment opportunities in Vietnam, particularly in technology, food processing, machinery, and artificial intelligence applications in agriculture. In the coming months, business delegations are expected to visit Ho Chi Minh City and be connected to Can Tho for investment surveys.

Notably, the Government of India is implementing the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme, offering practical training in areas such as digital transformation, industrial management, logistics, renewable energy, agriculture, and information technology, along with scholarship opportunities. Can Tho leaders expressed strong support for the program and assigned relevant agencies to coordinate participation, leveraging opportunities to enhance workforce quality.

Leaders of the Can Tho People’s Committee, with the delegation from the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City and other delegates, pose for a commemorative photo

Commitment to Supporting Investors

Reaffirming its development orientation, Can Tho leaders stressed that the city will continue to significantly improve its investment climate, making it more transparent, open, and competitive, while standing ready to support Indian businesses and partners throughout the investment process.

With a solid foundation and vast untapped potential, cooperation between Can Tho and Indian partners is expected to expand further in both scale and depth, delivering tangible benefits to businesses and people in both countries in the years ahead.

Kim Ngan