Indo-Pacific Briefing: Vietnam-Laos Energy Deals, Bangladesh-China Ties, and Regional Security Talks
This issue rounds up several Indo-Pacific developments, led by Vietnamese firms securing 2,780 MW of wind and hydropower projects in Laos. It also covers Bangladesh's infrastructure engagement with China, a NATO-IP4 summit in Ankara, Pakistan's exposure to Qatari LNG, and a revived Vietnam-Laos potash venture. The newsletter notes rising Vietnam-Laos trade and investment, with bilateral trade nearing $3 billion in 2025 and new Vietnamese projects in Laos.
Vietnamese companies have secured eight Laotian wind and hydropower projects totaling 2,780 MW. T&T Group’s 495 MW Savan 2 wind farm, worth about $768 million, is due to operate commercially by late 2028; the other seven exceed $5.1 billion. Related deals span coffee, banking, digital transformation, aviation and plant maintenance. Two-way trade approached $3 billion in 2025, up 32.7%, while Vietnamese firms added $670 million across 24 new Laotian projects in the first nine months of 2026.
Bangladesh’s Bay of Bengal infrastructure ties with China include a planned 110-acre economic zone near Mongla Port, backed by a June 2026 MoU worth roughly $650 million; the site had earlier been intended for an Indian zone. Beijing also supports Teesta River studies and the China–Bangladesh–Myanmar Economic Corridor. Separately, NATO’s IP4 partners—Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea—now cooperate mainly at working level on defence industry, as discussed in Ankara.
Count: First paragraph: Vietnamese(1) companies2 have3 secured4 eight5 Laotian6 wind7 and8 hydropower9 projects10 totaling11 2,78012 MW13. T&T14 Group’s15 49516 MW17 Savan18 219 wind20 farm21, worth22 about23 $76824 million25, is26 due27 to28 operate29 commercially30 by31 late32 202833; the34 other35 seven36 exceed37 $5.138 billion39. Related40 deals41 span42 coffee43, banking44, digital45 transformation46, aviation47 and48 plant49 maintenance50. Two-way51 trade52 approached53 $354 billion55 in56 202557, up58 32.7%
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