This article covers the diplomatic relationship between India and the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR): its early history, the two countries' support for each other in multilateral bodies, their dialogue mechanisms, high-level visits and the general agreements they have signed. It is based on the MEA brief of June 2026, which states its information as on 30th June, 2026.

The brief traces the relationship to historical and civilizational links reflected in a common heritage of Buddhism and the Ramakien, the Lao version of the Ramayana. In the modern period, India served as Chairman of the International Commission for Supervision and Control (ICSC) for Laos. The Commission was established following the Geneva Agreements of July 1954 for the cessation of hostilities in Indo-China and the withdrawal of French colonial power, and the brief states that India played a key role in it as Chairman.

Diplomatic relations were established in 1956, and India and Lao PDR are marking 70 years of bilateral relations in 2026. The brief describes relations since then as "long-standing, friendly and mutually supportive". It also records "regard and respect for India and the India story of development".

Support in multilateral bodies

According to the MEA brief of June 2026, Laos has been supportive of India on many major issues of regional and international concern, including India's claim for permanent membership of the UN Security Council. Laos supported India's candidature for a non-permanent UNSC seat for the term 2021-2022, in exchange for support of the Lao candidature for membership of the UN Economic and Social Council for the term 2023-2025. Laos has also extended support to India's candidature for a non-permanent seat for the term 2028-29.

Dialogue mechanisms

The brief names two institutional consultative mechanisms, the FOCs and the Joint Commission Meeting (JCM). The 3rd FOC was held in Vientiane on 27 July 2023.

The JCM has met at ministerial level in both capitals. The brief's list of visits records the 2nd JCM in Vientiane in January 1999, the 3rd JCM in November 2000, the 5th JCM in May 2006 and the 7th JCM on September 8-10, 2013. The 8th JCM was held in New Delhi on 10 August, 2015, and the 9th JCM on 23 November 2018 in Vientiane. Most recently, Thongsavan Phomvihane, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR, paid an official visit to India from 1-3 June 2026 to co-chair the 10th Joint Commission Meeting.

High-level visits from India

The brief lists the following visits from India to Lao PDR:

  • President: Dr. Rajendra Prasad (March 1959) and Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil (September 2010).
  • Vice President: Shri Mohammad Hamid Ansari (September 2015, official visit).
  • Prime Minister: Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru (1954), Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee (November 2002, official visit), Dr. Manmohan Singh (November 2004, ASEAN-India Summit) and Shri Narendra Modi (September 2016 and October 2024, both for the ASEAN-India Summit).
  • External Affairs Minister: Shri Pranab Mukherjee (Jan 1996), Shri Jaswant Singh (November 2000, 3rd JCM), Shri Yaswant Sinha (November 2002), Shri Salman Khurshid (November 4-7, 2012, ASEM-9 Summit, and September 8-10, 2013, 7th JCM), Smt. Sushma Swaraj (22-23 November 2018, 9th JCM) and Dr. S. Jaishankar (July 25-27, 2024, ASEAN-India, EAS and ARF Foreign Ministers Meeting).
  • Minister of State: Smt. Vasundhara Raje (January 1999, 2nd JCM), Shri E. Ahmed (May 2006, 5th JCM), Gen. (Dr.) V.K. Singh (Retd.) (24-26 July 2016, 7th MGC Ministerial meeting and ASEAN PMC meetings) and Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh (official visit, 22-26 June 2022).
  • After the brief, Minister of State for External Affairs Shri Pabitra Margherita visited Lao PDR from 27-29 August 2026, marking 70 years of diplomatic relations, with calls in Vientiane on the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence.

High-level visits from Lao PDR

The brief lists the following visits from Lao PDR to India:

  • At the level of President: Prince Souphanouvong, commonly known as the Red Prince (1975, before the Lao Revolution in which the Lao People's Revolutionary Party took control of the country), and Mr. Choummaly Sayasone (26-30 August 2008, State visit).
  • At the level of Prime Minister: Mr Bounnhang Vorachit (June 15-22, 2003, State visit), Mr. Thongsing Thammavong (December 2012, ASEAN India Commemorative Summit) and Dr. Thongloun Sisoulith (January 2018, ASEAN India Commemorative Summit).
  • Dr. Thongloun Sisoulith as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister: the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Ministerial Meeting in New Delhi on Sep 4, 2012; the 11th ASEM Foreign Ministers Meeting in New Delhi on November 11-12, 2013; Delhi Dialogue-VI on March 6-7, 2014; and the 8th JCM on 9-11 August 2015.
  • Thongphane Savanphet, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs: 15-17 June 2022, for the Special ASEAN-India Foreign Minister Meeting and the 24th ASEAN-India SOM, and 1-3 May 2024, for ASEAN-India SOM meetings in New Delhi.

Engagements during Lao PDR's ASEAN chairmanship in 2024

Lao PDR was chair of ASEAN for 2024. At the invitation of Mr. Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of the Lao PDR, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Vientiane on 10-11 October 2024 and attended the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and the 19th East Asia Summit. He held a bilateral meeting with the Lao Prime Minister and also met the President of Lao PDR, Dr. Thongloun Sisoulith. Following the talks, both Prime Ministers witnessed the exchange of MoUs and an Agreement in the fields of defence, broadcasting and customs cooperation, and on three Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation.

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar visited Vientiane on 25-27 July 2024 for Foreign Ministers' Meetings under the ASEAN framework. He paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and held a bilateral meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, and the two ministers witnessed the exchange of MoUs on 10 QIPs under MGC and on digital solutions. The EAM also interacted with the Lao Ministers of Home Affairs and of Industry and Commerce, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly, and the Special Envoy on Myanmar.

A two-member delegation led by Shri Rameswar Teli, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), visited Lao PDR from 19-22 October 2024 to attend the ASEAN-Inter Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) and related meetings.

Other high-level interactions

Lao leaders have taken part in the Voice of the Global South Summits. At the third summit, held virtually on August 17, 2024, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone joined Prime Minister Modi for the inaugural Leaders' session, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongphane Savanphet took part in the EAM-I session and Deputy Health Minister Dr. Snong Thongsna in the Health session. At the second summit, on 17 November 2023, Saleumxay Kommasith took part in the Foreign Ministers' Session, and Associate Professor Phout Simmalavong, Minister of Education and Sports, in the Education Ministers' Session; he had also joined the Education Ministers' session of the first summit in January 2023.

On 12 June 2020, Prime Minister Modi spoke by telephone with Dr. Thongloun Sisoulith, then Prime Minister of Lao PDR. The two leaders exchanged views on the health and economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and agreed on the need for international cooperation and for sharing best practices and experiences to prepare for the post-COVID world.

Mekong-Ganga Cooperation

The brief describes the MGC region as an important element of India's Act East Policy and of the Indian Prime Minister's vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR). The 12th MGC Foreign Ministers' Meeting, co-chaired by Laos and India, was held in Bangkok on 16th July 2023, and Lao PDR extended support as a Country Coordinator.

General agreements

The brief lists 20 MoUs and agreements signed between India and Lao PDR. Those of a general and institutional nature are:

  • Agreement for setting up of Joint Commission on Trade, Economic and Scientific and Technological Cooperation (02 May 1997)
  • Agreement on Mutual Cooperation on Drug Demand Reduction & Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and related matters (06 November 2002)
  • MoU between the Foreign Service Institute and the Institute of Foreign Affairs, Lao PDR (6 September 2019)
  • MoU for Cooperation in the field of sharing successful digital solutions implemented at population scale for Digital Transformation (27 July 2024)
  • MOU between Prasar Bharti and Lao National TV (11 October 2024)

The remaining agreements in the list concern trade and customs, defence, development projects, heritage conservation, education, culture, health, visas and air services.