Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has announced an unprecedented commitment of $3.8 billion from the 2026 budget for national innovation and technology initiatives.
At the fifth meeting of the Government's Steering Committee on Science, Technology, Innovation, Digital Transformation, and Project 06, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh announced a plan to allocate approximately $3.8 billion from the 2026 state budget toward these priorities.
The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Chinh, took place on the morning of November 15 at the Government headquarters. It gathered senior officials including Deputy Prime Ministers Le Thanh Long, Ho Duc Phoc, Bui Thanh Son, Mai Van Chinh, and Ho Quoc Dung, alongside leaders of ministries, agencies, and representatives from universities, enterprises, and major tech corporations.
According to reports presented at the meeting, since the implementation of Resolution 57-NQ/TW by the Politburo, there has been decisive and comprehensive leadership in promoting science and technology (S&T), innovation, digital transformation, administrative reform, and Project 06.
The Government and Prime Minister have issued 12 directives, 22 telegrams, and 28 formal conclusions to translate Resolution 57 into actionable policies. Ministries and localities have implemented 370 of 944 tasks, while 176 more are underway within schedule - amounting to a 67% on-time completion rate.
Significant strides have been made in developing policies and legal frameworks. Since the beginning of 2025, the Government submitted 19 draft laws and 10 resolutions related to S&T, innovation, and digital transformation. During the 10th National Assembly session, nine critical laws were tabled for approval.
In October alone, the Government issued 10 decrees related to tech and innovation, totaling 22 new decrees issued in 2025.
A supplemental budget of approximately $1 billion has already been allocated in 2025. The 2026 budget, approved by the National Assembly, will reserve around $3.8 billion for these efforts.
Science, innovation, and digital transformation have become key growth drivers. Eleven strategic technology groups and 35 strategic product categories were approved, with six to be deployed in 2025. The National Technology Initiative Portal and Tech Exchange have been launched. Vietnam retains its 44th place among 139 countries in the Global Innovation Index.
Digital infrastructure is expanding rapidly. Vietnam ranks in the global top 13 for Internet speed. 5G now covers 39.5% of the population. A 3,900-km fiber optic link to Singapore has been completed. Multiple AI data center projects are in progress, with a proposed Super Data Center in Ho Chi Minh City under review.
Vietnam's digital industry continues to thrive. According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, the ICT sector recorded over $165 billion in revenue during the first 10 months of 2025, a 52.4% increase year-on-year. Exports of digital products hit $142 billion, up 27%.
Tax management, e-invoicing, and cashless payment systems have advanced considerably. Over 315,000 businesses are using e-invoices generated from POS systems, with 3.58 billion e-invoices issued. Tax collection from e-commerce reached $6.1 billion, up 64%. Social support disbursements totaling $1.3 billion and $7.2 million in disaster aid were processed via the VNeID platform.
Digital government and Project 06 have delivered practical benefits. Two-tier local governments now operate effectively. E-government services are becoming more proactive and data-driven. Over 132.4 million banking profiles and 1.4 million customer records have been verified using chip-based ID cards.
66.7% of hospitals nationwide and 74% of provincial public hospitals have adopted electronic medical records. Five million digital party membership cards have been issued. The VNeID platform offers 50 services and receives 1.5 million visits daily. It was also used to collect 5.4 million public comments on the draft documents for the 14th Party Congress.
The centralized digital signing platform has been launched. The "Digital Mass Literacy" initiative has trained 203,000 learners, reducing training costs by 80%.
Administrative reforms have intensified. More than 741 procedures have been decentralized, 1,007 administrative procedures simplified, and 222 business conditions eliminated. A government-approved plan aims to reduce 3,071 procedures and 2,269 conditions affecting business activities.
Efforts to train and attract high-quality human resources have also accelerated. A national chief engineer selection was held, and leading universities have introduced AI and innovation into their curricula. Nearly 50 international cooperation agreements have been signed in 2025.
Looking ahead: six major tasks
In his concluding remarks, Prime Minister Chinh acknowledged the substantial progress achieved and praised the commitment of ministries, localities, research institutions, businesses, and citizens. However, he emphasized ongoing challenges such as slow implementation of key plans, uneven development of databases, and inadequate digital infrastructure in remote areas.
Disbursement of funding remains inconsistent, and there's a shortage of skilled personnel, especially in AI, data science, and cybersecurity. Coordination across ministries is lacking, and data sharing is still fragmented. Bureaucratic inertia, fear of accountability, and outdated regulatory frameworks are further hindering progress.
The Prime Minister called for stronger political will, clearer delegation of responsibilities ("six clarities": person, task, timeline, responsibility, authority, deliverable), and a results-oriented approach. He advocated for inclusive, risk-sharing policies that benefit the state, businesses, and citizens while avoiding waste, corruption, and inefficiency.
By the end of 2025, Vietnam aims to complete all overdue and in-year digital transformation targets. At least 80% of public services should be delivered entirely online.
Six overarching directions:
All ministries and localities must complete their data systems by the end of 2025, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and accessibility.
Legal frameworks must be updated in sync with new laws, with eight draft laws expected to pass in the 10th National Assembly session.
Digital infrastructure, especially in localities, must be modernized and interoperable. Idle infrastructure should be repurposed effectively.
Digital workforce development should be prioritized. Local "digital literacy squads" will engage communities directly to accelerate transformation.
Data privacy and cybersecurity must be guaranteed at all times and for all users.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) will be introduced to monitor implementation in real time.
Further action items
Prime Minister Chinh instructed each minister, provincial leader, and agency head to assume full responsibility for achieving 2025 targets and to submit commitment documents. Ministries must expedite decrees in accordance with upcoming laws and continue legal reviews to support new service models.
A national strategy on digital transformation and data must be finalized by November 25 by the ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Health, Culture, Sports, Tourism, and the Government Inspectorate.
A comprehensive audit of digital service provision and database governance will be conducted by December, following Ministry of Public Security guidelines.
All relevant agencies must revise 322 legal documents and align administrative procedures for seamless cross-provincial digital service delivery.
The Ministry of Science and Technology will launch a national program for strategic tech products and a framework to support global digital enterprises and public R&D institutions. It will also oversee nationwide 5G deployment and resolve issues related to the Starlink project, aiming for 500,000 users by 2026.
The Ministry of Public Security will develop digital election tools for VNeID and fast-track the launch of National Digital Data Center 01, with a second center under review. A government resolution on digital society and governance is due by December 15.
The Ministry of Education will digitize lifelong learning records and academic credentials, with 100% digitization to be completed by Q1 2026.
The Ministry of Health will finalize a national electronic health records plan, detailing targets for coverage, connectivity, and data interoperability.
The State Bank and commercial banks will effectively implement a $20 billion credit program to finance strategic digital infrastructure.
The Ministry of Finance, in coordination with the Ministry of Science and Technology, will ensure timely allocation of budget resources for high-priority and interregional tech projects, such as data centers, national laboratories, and key databases.
All agencies are expected to swiftly register funding and begin immediate implementation of their assigned tasks.
The Ministry of Science and Technology will also coordinate preparations for the 2025 year-end Steering Committee review meeting.