NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to travel to Vietnam later this month for a two-day visit aimed at expanding the rapidly growing defence partnership between the two countries, sources in the defence and security establishment told TNIE.
The visit, likely in the third week of May, will focus on the proposed BrahMos supersonic cruise missile deal, naval cooperation, military sustainment support and broader strategic coordination in the Indo-Pacific.
The trip comes close on the heels of Vietnamese President To Lam and Defence Minister General Phan Van Giang’s visit to India earlier this month, during which both sides publicly signalled a push towards deeper defence-industrial cooperation.
Sources said the proposed export of the shore-based anti-ship variant of the BrahMos missile system remains one of the key agenda items. The deal, estimated to be worth around Rs 5,800 crore, is learnt to be in advanced stages.
Vietnam has long sought the BrahMos system to strengthen its coastal defence posture in the South China Sea, where it remains engaged in territorial disputes with China.
Significantly, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs P Kumaran underlined Vietnam’s growing strategic importance during a press briefing after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Vietnamese leadership.
“Vietnam is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific and all these areas we cooperate in, are based on the broad premise that a strong Vietnam will support the cause of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. We talk about a number of platforms and the BrahMos platform is one of them,” he said, before adding: “Watch this space.”
The expanding defence engagement between the two countries now goes well beyond BrahMos.
India had earlier extended a 500-million-dollar line of credit for Vietnam’s defence requirements, with projects worth nearly 300 million dollars already identified under it.
Vietnam is learnt to be procuring three to four Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) from India, along with 14 high-speed patrol boats. The remaining portion of the credit line is expected to be utilised for upgrades of Vietnamese naval platforms as well as submarine batteries and associated systems.
Sources said that another major area of discussion during Singh’s visit will be India’s proposal to provide Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) support for Vietnam’s Russian-origin military platforms, including Su-30 fighter aircraft and Kilo-class submarines.
India already trains Vietnamese personnel on multiple Russian-origin systems and is increasingly positioning itself as a long-term sustainment and logistics partner for countries operating such equipment, especially amid continued pressure on Russian supply chains after the Ukraine conflict.
Both countries are also expected to discuss institutionalising strategic coordination through a proposed 2+2 dialogue mechanism involving senior diplomatic and defence officials.
Vietnam is also among the countries set to participate in the Indian Army’s maiden multilateral exercise Pragati later this month in Meghalaya as part of India’s broader Act East outreach.
