Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has announced a historic allocation of USD 3.8 billion from the 2026 state budget to boost national innovation, science and technology, and digital transformation. The announcement was made at the fifth meeting of the Government’s Steering Committee on Science, Technology, Innovation, Digital Transformation, and Project 06 on November 15, attended by senior government officials, university leaders, business executives, and representatives from major technology companies.
By the end of 2025, 67% of planned tasks have been completed on schedule, alongside 19 draft laws and 10 resolutions submitted to support science, technology, and digital transformation. A supplemental budget of approximately USD 1 billion was already allocated in 2025. The 2026 budget will further fund eleven strategic technology groups, 35 strategic product categories, and initiatives including the National Technology Initiative Portal and Tech Exchange. Vietnam currently ranks 44th out of 139 countries on the Global Innovation Index.
Vietnam’s digital infrastructure has expanded rapidly, with the country ranking among the top 13 globally for internet speed. By 2025, 5G coverage reached 39.5% of the population, and a 3,900-km fiber optic link to Singapore has been completed. Multiple AI data center projects are underway, with a proposed Super Data Center in Ho Chi Minh City under review. The ICT sector recorded over USD 165 billion in revenue in the first ten months of 2025, up 52.4% year-on-year, while exports of digital products reached USD 142 billion, up 27%. E-invoicing, cashless payments, and digital government platforms like VNeID have streamlined public services, social support disbursements, and disaster aid, supporting over 132 million banking profiles and 1.4 million verified customer records. Electronic medical records have been adopted by 66.7% of hospitals nationwide and 74% of provincial public hospitals, while five million digital party membership cards have been issued.
Administrative reforms have accelerated, with 741 procedures decentralised, 1,007 simplified, and 222 business conditions eliminated. Human resource development has also been prioritised, with AI-focused curricula introduced in leading universities and nearly 50 international cooperation agreements signed in 2025.
Prime Minister Chinh outlined six key directions for 2026, including completing data systems across ministries and localities, updating legal frameworks, modernising digital infrastructure, developing the digital workforce, ensuring data privacy and cybersecurity, and introducing key performance indicators to monitor implementation. Ministries and agencies have been instructed to assume full responsibility for achieving these targets, expedite decrees, digitize lifelong learning and health records, implement USD 20 billion in strategic digital infrastructure credit, and oversee nationwide 5G deployment and other key projects, including Starlink access and national laboratories.
The Prime Minister stressed the need for stronger political will, clearer delegation of responsibilities, and a results-oriented approach to ensure at least 80% of public services are delivered fully online by the end of 2025. He called for inclusive, risk-sharing policies that benefit the state, businesses, and citizens while avoiding waste, corruption, and inefficiency, aiming to make science, innovation, and digital transformation key drivers of Vietnam’s economic growth.
Source: Vietnamnet
