The Vietnamese government has announced plans to allocate between $3 billion and $4 billion each year from the state budget to boost science and technology (S&T), innovation, and digital transformation (DX). The move aims to mobilize a total of $10–15 billion annually from both public and private sources, enabling the three sectors to contribute at least 5% to the country’s GDP growth.
The commitment was unveiled by Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung at the Party Congress of the Ministry of Science and Technology for the 2025–2030 term on October 13, 2025. He said the state would dedicate 3–4% of total national spending to these areas, acting as a catalyst to attract greater private and social investment.
According to the ministry’s estimates, science and technology currently contribute around 1% of GDP growth, innovation accounts for 2–3%, and digital transformation adds 1–2%. To ensure effective use of public funds, the government has issued Decision No. 2244/QD-TTg on October 13, outlining 46 performance indicators across four categories: input, output, efficiency, and impact — designed to measure the outcomes of investment in S&T, innovation, and DX.
“This major investment is expected to create a strong spillover effect,” Minister Hung said, noting that if external resources are fully leveraged, total spending in these sectors could reach $10–15 billion a year. “Science creates knowledge, innovation turns knowledge into life, and digital transformation amplifies that knowledge,” he added, emphasizing that the three pillars must operate in a unified system.
The government is also restructuring state spending to prioritize the knowledge-based economy. The proportion of development investment in the national budget has increased from 28% to 32%, focusing on infrastructure, public services, and digital technology. Meanwhile, under Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW issued in December 2024, Vietnam has declared S&T, innovation, and DX as national strategic breakthroughs — aiming for a digital and self-reliant economy.
Experts say this level of investment could help Vietnam join the world’s top 30 economies by 2030, provided that capital allocation, oversight mechanisms, and execution are effective.
*Sources: Lao Động, VietnamNet, VJST, Sở hữu Trí tuệ & Sáng tạo, Chính phủ.vn, mst.gov.vn
