India and Lao PDR Celebrate 70 Years of Diplomatic Ties, Commit to Deeper Cooperation Across Key Sectors
President Droupadi Murmu highlighted the deep civilisational ties between India and Lao PDR during a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thongsavan Phomvihane at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Both sides marked 70 years of diplomatic relations and reviewed cooperation across trade, investment, and key development sectors.
The engagement comes as both nations mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, a milestone described as a significant chapter in bilateral ties. President Murmu emphasized that the occasion reflects the strength and continuity of India–Lao PDR relations built over decades of cooperation and mutual understanding.
Recalling recent high-level engagement, the President noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lao PDR in October 2024 to participate in ASEAN-related Summits. During the visit, multiple agreements were concluded, injecting renewed momentum into bilateral cooperation and expanding the scope of strategic engagement between the two countries.
President Murmu also highlighted the steady growth in bilateral trade while stressing that substantial potential remains untapped in trade and investment. She expressed India’s readiness to expand collaboration with Lao PDR across a wide range of sectors, including information and communication technology, health, medicine, agriculture, irrigation, manufacturing, renewable energy, and electricity.
She further stated that the development partnership between India and Lao PDR has strengthened significantly and is increasingly aligned with the aspirations of Lao youth as well as the country’s socio-economic development priorities. Both leaders acknowledged that enhanced cooperation across these areas holds the potential to deliver substantial benefits to the people of both nations.
The meeting at Rashtrapati Bhavan reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Lao PDR to deepen their longstanding partnership, marking the anniversary year as a renewed phase of expanded diplomatic, economic, and developmental engagement.

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