Thailand Visit Milestone: General Secretary and President To Lam hosted King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida at a Hanoi banquet, stressing the 50th anniversary of Vietnam–Thailand ties and the 2025 upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with people-to-people bonds and the Thai Vietnamese community highlighted as a “bridge” for deeper cooperation. People-to-People Diplomacy: To Lam asked VUFO to raise standards for people-to-people work by building well-connected networks that can mobilise real resources for national development, shifting from “having relationships” to “substantive, effective relationships.” India Partnership Push: Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and India’s Jaishankar co-chaired the 19th Vietnam–India Joint Commission Meeting, with both sides saying ties have progressed significantly since the last review and pointing to defence co-production, trade expansion, and regional security; they also agreed on a “Year of India–Vietnam Friendship” for 2025. BRICS Sidelines: PM Le Minh Hung met Putin and other leaders on the BRICS margins, while Vietnam–Saudi talks focused on making ties more effective and substantive. Hanoi Governance Debate: A proposed Hà Nội triumphal arch near Hoàn Kiếm and Grab drivers’ pay dispute sparked public questions about priorities and consultation. Defence Oversight: NA President Tran Thanh Man visited the Vietnam People’s Navy and Submarine Brigade 189, urging stronger Party building, readiness, and defence diplomacy. Vietnam–Slovakia Strategic Upgrade: Slovakia PM Robert Fico’s visit resulted in a joint statement upgrading relations to a strategic partnership, with action plans and cooperation documents spanning defence, nuclear energy, standards, and local ties.