NEW DELHI: National Security Adviser Ajit Doval arrived in Hanoi on Sunday for an official visit aimed at strengthening the India-Vietnam strategic partnership, sources said.
During his visit, Doval is scheduled to meet senior Vietnamese leaders and discuss ways to expand bilateral cooperation in the spheres of security, defence and strategic affairs.
The visit follows the fourth India-Vietnam Security Dialogue, held in New Delhi in October 2026. The dialogue reviewed cooperation in areas including counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, maritime security, economic security and emerging technologies. The visit is expected to provide high-level political direction to the implementation of the outcomes of the dialogue.
India and Vietnam have been strengthening their strategic engagement amid evolving security challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Vietnam is an important partner for New Delhi’s Act East Policy and its broader Indo-Pacific strategy where both sides push for freedom of navigation and peaceful maritime periphery.
Defence and maritime security cooperation are expected to figure prominently in the discussions. The two sides are also likely to explore ways to expand military-to-military engagement, including defence training, technology cooperation, equipment supplies and potential co-production arrangements. India has been seeking to expand its defence exports in Southeast Asia, while Vietnam is looking to diversify its defence partnerships.
Cooperation in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, digital transformation, cybersecurity and energy is also expected to feature in the discussions. Both countries have been seeking to broaden their partnership beyond traditional security cooperation and strengthen institutional coordination between their respective agencies.
The visit comes amid sustained high-level political engagement between the two countries. Vietnam’s General Secretary and President To Lam visited India from May 5-7, 2026. Prime Minister Le Minh Hung also visited New Delhi in September to attend the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit.
At the ministerial level, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Vietnam’s Foreign Minister co-chaired the 19th India-Vietnam Joint Commission Meeting in New Delhi in September 2026. India’s Defence Minister also visited Vietnam in May 2026.
The two countries have several institutional mechanisms covering defence, maritime security, foreign policy and technology cooperation.
These include the annual Defence Policy Dialogue, the Maritime Security Dialogue, Foreign Office Consultations and the bilateral Security Dialogue between India's National Security Council Secretariat and Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security.
Economic ties have also expanded, with bilateral trade crossing USD18 billion in 2026. India's exports to Vietnam stood at approximately USD 6.66 billion, while imports from Vietnam were around USD 11.62 billion.