By Samar Pratap Singh  July 10, 2026, 10:29 AM IST

India's relations with Vietnam represent 'soft power' far before the word was even invented. It is peculiar in the sense that not many relations have historically been built on cultural exchange and religious tourism. While there are countless examples of nations that have imposed their values through military subjugation, seldom have we seen such a deep, peaceful connection between two nations.

The roots of this relation go way back in time to the 2nd Century CE when the major interactions between the two civilisations first took place. Elements of Indian Civilisation were first introduced in Vietnam by various merchants, artists and monks. Through these peaceful encounters, the spread of Sanskrit began in Vietnam, creating a legacy of common words and language that bridge the two cultures. Many of these elements still live on in the form of the gods they worship and the traditions they follow. To understand these relations better, we need to first understand how Indian merchants ended up in Vietnam in the first place. The monsoon winds played a very important role in the expansion of trade between these nations. Remnants of this Civilization still exist in the form of the Cham people, who still worship Hindu Gods like Shiva.

In a time when motorised transport did not exist, the monsoon winds made long-distance travel possible. Two main monsoons contributed to travel between India and Vietnam. During the summer, the Southwest monsoon helped Indian sailors reach Vietnam, while the Northeast monsoon, during the winter, helped Vietnamese sailors reach India safely. The Southwest monsoon usually occurs between May and September, while the Northeast monsoon occurs between October and February. Both these monsoons made trade between the Indian ports and the Champa Kingdom far easier and faster. They also led to the creation of annual cycles of trade, during which the sailors would spend time in the other nation, waiting for the next monsoon to begin. This seasonal movement of sailors led to the emergence of the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea as one of the busiest trade routes of the ancient world. This route later became a part of the Maritime Silk Route, which was a vast network of waterways connecting India, Southeast Asia, China and the Middle East. These sailors, along with various spices, textiles and commodities, also carried with them their culture, traditions, belief systems and languages, leading to a lot of cultural commonalities between the two nations.

What started as small trading settlements slowly transformed into permanent settlements. They laid the foundation for what Ancient Sanskrit inscriptions call Campadesa, or the Champa Kingdom, which evolved around the 2nd Century CE along the Southern Coast of Vietnam. This example is special as it is an example of a nation which has gone through voluntary Indianization. Culture, historically, has been imposed on other nations through military conquest. Seldom have we seen cultural spread through mutual exchange.

Kalinga, which is modern-day Odisha, had very close interactions with Champa which was a prominent kingdom in Vietnam. These interactions led to the spread of Indian culture in Vietnam, which was also visible in its political systems. The four kingdoms in Vietnam were all Sanskrit-named provinces. They were Panduranga, Vijaya, Amaravati and Kauthara. There is also a lot of common archaeological evidence to back the claim of these interactions. Many artefacts found in Tra Kieu, including pottery, brickwork, and sandstone pillars, closely resemble the ones found in Kalinga. The My Son Sanctuary located in Vietnam is a beautiful blend of the two forms of architecture. The Champa Kingdom built it in honour of Lord Shiva. This sanctuary also facilitated the spread of Sanskrit in Vietnam. Sanskrit was used for royal inscriptions and decrees in Vietnam. This deep linguistic connection ensured the native spread of Buddhism and Hinduism in Vietnam, especially among the Cham People.

The Cham People beautifully synthesised features of Indian architecture with their local methods of building. They built tiered roofs to mirror the sacred Mount Meru, but used an indigenous mortarless red-brick technique to construct their towering Kalan (Central Sanctuary Shrines). This synthesis proves that the Indianization of Vietnam was not a forced process but a beautiful exchange. The biggest proof came in the form of a sandstone Shiva lingam, which was unearthed in the Sanctuary by the Archaeological Survey of India in May, 2020. The lingam was monolithic and was 1100 years old, displaying how deep the cultural connection between the two nations goes.

Though the Champa Kingdom eventually faded, the connection between modern-day India and Vietnam lived on. This connection was initially born out of a common hatred for Western Dominance as both nations were colonised during the 19th and 20th centuries. India was under the British Raj at this time while Vietnam was a French colony. Both these colonies were able to form an enduring relationship as they had a lot in common. They both had gone through the trauma of colonisation and the following struggle for freedom.

In contemporary times, India has consistently attempted to create a united Indo-Pacific. To do so, the ancient maritime silk route has been reimagined under India's Act East Policy. Vietnam has been a very important partner in all these endeavours. Indian authorities are still trying to restore the My Son Sanctuary. This depicts the fact that the relationship between the two nations is still active and is not just a relic of the past. The relationship is a testament to the fact that soft power is far more enduring than any relationship built on conquest due to the voluntary nature of soft power. The current geopolitics actively operate on the foundations laid by seafarers centuries ago..
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Samar Pratap Singh is a research intern at the Centre for Vietnam studies, New Delhi.