On September 25, Viet Nam officially participated in the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show 2026 (UPITS 2026) at the India Expo Mart & Centre in Greater Noida as one of six Partner Countries, alongside Japan, Russia, Singapore, Austria and Belarus.

On the opening day, the Embassy of Viet Nam and the Vietnamese Trade Office in India, in coordination with the Uttar Pradesh Government, Invest UP, the UPITS organising committee, agencies, associations and businesses from both countries, launched a series of activities promoting economic, trade, investment and tourism cooperation, as well as Vietnamese culture.

The programme included a meeting between the Vietnamese Ambassador and the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh; the Viet Nam - Uttar Pradesh Roundtable Dialogue; the opening of Vietnamese exhibition booths; the Viet Nam - Uttar Pradesh Economic, Trade, Investment and Innovation Cooperation Forum; the Viet Nam - India Tourism and Aviation Forum; and the Viet Nam - Uttar Pradesh Cultural, Culinary and Fashion Gala.

Promoting cooperation from government to business

Kicking off the series of activities, Vietnamese Ambassador to India Trinh Minh Manh met with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The two sides discussed the potential and orientations for promoting cooperation between Viet Nam and Uttar Pradesh, one of India's most populous states and one of its fastest-growing economies. Areas of interest include trade, investment, manufacturing, technology, innovation, tourism, aviation and people-to-people exchanges.

Uttar Pradesh has a population of approximately 250 million, more than twice that of Viet Nam. It is currently India's third-largest state economy, contributing more than 8% of the country's GDP, and is pursuing a target of becoming a USD 1 trillion economy.

Uttar Pradesh is undergoing a major transformation from an economy heavily dependent on agriculture and traditional industries towards advanced manufacturing, electronics, electric vehicles, semiconductors, information technology, the digital economy and innovation. These are areas with significant potential to complement Viet Nam's development priorities.

The meeting was followed by the Viet Nam - Uttar Pradesh Roundtable Dialogue with the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, held from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The programme brought together state government leaders, investment promotion agencies, business associations and enterprises from both countries.

The dialogue focused on highlighting strengths, needs and priority areas for cooperation, while discussing measures to strengthen connections among government agencies, trade promotion organisations and the Viet Nam - Uttar Pradesh business community.

Delegates noted that the two sides could expand cooperation based on their complementary advantages. Viet Nam has a market of more than 100 million people, increasingly strong production and export capacity, an extensive network of free trade agreements and a favourable position for connecting with ASEAN. Uttar Pradesh offers access to a market of approximately 250 million consumers, a large labour force and rapidly developing industrial, technology and innovation ecosystems.

Opening Viet Nam's integrated promotional space

As part of UPITS 2026, Ambassador Trinh Minh Manh opened the Vietnamese exhibition booths, showcasing products, businesses and cooperation potential, while introducing Viet Nam's country, people and destinations to the Indian business community and public.

The Vietnamese booths will operate from September 25 to 29, showcasing a wide range of products and services in sectors including textiles and garments, processed foods, consumer goods, agricultural products, handicrafts, industrial products, tourism and aviation.

The Viet Nam space was designed to combine trade promotion with cultural and destination promotion. In addition to showcasing products, Vietnamese businesses have opportunities to meet importers, distributors, retail chains and investment partners in Uttar Pradesh and other Indian states.

Participation as a Partner Country enables Viet Nam to strengthen its presence at one of Uttar Pradesh's major trade fairs while expanding direct access to local authorities, trade promotion agencies and the local business community.

Connecting businesses and promoting innovation

One of the highlights of the first day was the Viet Nam - Uttar Pradesh Economic, Trade, Investment and Innovation Cooperation Forum, held from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The forum focused on three sectors with strong cooperation potential: textiles and garments; food and consumer goods; and electric vehicles and supporting industries. Discussions also covered services trade, logistics, distribution, e-commerce, technology and manufacturing investment.

Speaking at the forum, Ambassador Trinh Minh Manh proposed building a new generation of economic cooperation between Viet Nam and Uttar Pradesh based on four pillars: trade and market connectivity; two-way investment and production cooperation; technology and innovation; and connecting businesses to regional and global supply chains.

The Ambassador stressed that cooperation should not be limited to increasing trade in goods. The two sides should pursue investment projects, production linkages, technology transfer and long-term partnerships.

Representatives of the Uttar Pradesh Government and Invest UP introduced the state's investment environment, industrial park system, workforce, transport infrastructure, logistics network and business support mechanisms.

Uttar Pradesh invited Vietnamese businesses to explore investment opportunities in textiles and garments, food processing, consumer goods, electric vehicles, automotive components, information technology, warehousing, distribution and production support services.

In the textile and garment sector, representatives of the Noida Apparel Export Cluster and Uttar Pradesh's agencies responsible for handicrafts and textiles proposed cooperation in raw materials and accessories, production technology, design, skills training, quality standards, brand development and e-commerce.

In the electric vehicle sector, the two sides focused discussions on the production of components, batteries, powertrains, charging stations, electronic equipment, management software, maintenance services and workforce training.

Following the forum session, Vietnamese and Uttar Pradesh businesses took part in direct B2B meetings to discuss trading needs, seek distribution partners, explore production cooperation and study investment projects.

Expanding tourism and aviation connectivity

Immediately after the economic forum, the programme “Viet Nam - India: Connecting Journeys, Multiplying Joy” and the Viet Nam - India Tourism and Aviation Forum were held from 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.

The programme brought together government agencies, airlines, airports, travel companies, hotels and service partners from both countries, including Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Vietravel and Noida International Airport.

Delegates focused on strengthening air connectivity, developing flight routes, coordinating destination promotion, developing combined flight, hotel and sightseeing packages, and promoting two-way tourist flows.

Uttar Pradesh introduced its historical, cultural and spiritual destinations, particularly Buddhist sites such as Sarnath and Kushinagar. Vietnamese businesses were invited to explore opportunities for cooperation and investment in hotels, accommodation facilities, restaurants, resorts and services catering to international visitors at these destinations.

Representatives of Noida International Airport introduced the potential of the passenger market in Uttar Pradesh and northern India, while also discussing with Vietnamese airlines the potential for cooperation in market research, route development and joint promotion.

The event opens up additional opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment, innovation, tourism, aviation, culture and people-to-people exchanges between Viet Nam and India.

Vietnamese airlines and travel companies proposed developing products tailored to the needs of Indian travellers, combining leisure, culture, cuisine, wedding tourism, conferences and spiritual destinations. Conversely, businesses could develop Buddhist pilgrimage tours, cultural exploration programmes and market research trips for Vietnamese visitors to Uttar Pradesh.

Strengthening connectivity between Vietnamese airlines and Noida International Airport is expected to simultaneously support tourism, cargo transportation, trade in services and business exchanges.

Promoting Viet Nam through culture, cuisine and fashion

Combining economic and trade promotion with culture, cuisine and fashion gives the programme a more comprehensive profile, while opening up opportunities for cooperation in cultural industries, tourism, restaurants, hotels, event organisation and design.

The day's programme concluded with the Viet Nam - Uttar Pradesh Cultural, Culinary and Fashion Gala, held from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The programme introduced Vietnamese culture through performances featuring traditional musical instruments, traditional arts, singing and ao dai fashion shows. The Vietnamese artists presented performances highlighting the country's cultural identity and the diversity of its regions.

Another highlight of the Gala was the promotion of Vietnamese and Indian cuisine. Vietnamese chefs introduced signature dishes, giving delegates and international guests an opportunity to learn more about Vietnamese culture, ingredients and culinary traditions. The Vietnamese fashion show, which lasted approximately 30 minutes, helped showcase the ao dai, craftsmanship, materials and creative capabilities of Viet Nam's fashion industry.

Combining economic and trade promotion with culture, cuisine and fashion gives the programme a more comprehensive profile, while opening up opportunities for cooperation in cultural industries, tourism, restaurants, hotels, event organisation and design.

An integrated promotion programme aimed at long-term results

According to Trade Counsellor Bui Trung Thuong, the programme aims not only to showcase products or establish a presence at the trade fair, but also to build a long-term cooperation platform between Viet Nam and Uttar Pradesh.

The series of activities on September 25 was the result of coordination between the Embassy of Viet Nam, the Vietnamese Trade Office in India, the Uttar Pradesh Government, Invest UP, the UPITS organising committee, airlines, industry associations and the business communities of both countries.

The Vietnamese Trade Office in India served as the focal point for developing programme content, connecting agencies and businesses, mobilising the Vietnamese delegation, organising thematic forums and B2B programmes, and promoting tourism, aviation and cultural activities.

According to Trade Counsellor Bui Trung Thuong, the programme aims not only to showcase products or establish a presence at the trade fair, but also to build a long-term cooperation platform between Viet Nam and Uttar Pradesh. The effectiveness of the promotion activities will be reflected in the number of connections maintained, market research delegations, trade contracts, joint tourism programmes and investment projects implemented following UPITS 2026.

The Vietnamese Trade Office in India will continue coordinating with Invest UP, Uttar Pradesh's departments and agencies, the UPITS organising committee and business associations from both countries to consolidate demand, verify potential partners, organise in-depth working sessions and support the implementation of specific cooperation proposals.

Viet Nam's initial activities at UPITS 2026 concluded with a range of positive results, strengthening the country's presence as a Partner Country and opening up further opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment, innovation, tourism, aviation, culture and people-to-people exchanges between Viet Nam and Uttar Pradesh in particular and India more broadly.