The Significance Of Rajnath Singh's Vietnam Visit

Vietnam is an emerging regional power and a closer relationship with Hanoi is closely aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Act East Policy, points out Dr Rajaram Panda.

India-Vietnam relations are on the cusp of a new era. Backed by civilisational links dating back to the Buddhist era, the peoples of both countries have similar historical experiences such as fighting foreign invaders and coming out triumphant each times.

This relationship is further cemented by Buddhist and spiritual links.

A point to note here is that each time a leader of Vietnam makes a State visit to India, a visit to Bodhgaya is never out of the itinerary.

So much of reverence the Vietnamese show dor India's historical and cultural heritage.

Against this background, Defence Minister Rajnath's four-day visit to Vietnam and South Korea to explore ways to shore up strategic defence cooperation, including joint production of military hardware assumes significance.

In April South Korean President Lee Jae Myung paid a State visit to India to be followed by Vietnamese President To Lam's visit to India in early May, during which the two countries elevated their ties to an enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership.

During both visits a host of agreements were signed.

India-Vietnam Indo-Pacific Push

According to a joint statement issued during To Lam's visit to India on May 6, both nations agreed on closer cooperation in economy, defence, science and technology, maritime security and tourism.

At that time, both sides reviewed the implementation of bilateral defence agreements while agreeing to enhance naval and air force agreements.

The stability of the Indo-Pacific region was one of the top agendas during Lam's visit.

As expected it remained the same during Singh's visit to Hanoi. Vietnam is an emerging regional power and a closer relationship with Hanoi is closely aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Act East Policy.

A follow-up return visit by Defence Minister Singh soon enough carry plenty of strategic significance.

This remark is weighed in the light of changing dynamics in the security environment in the region.

In particular, the energy crisis following Trump's war in the Middle East, growing bonhomie between Russia and China and further complicated by China's continued belligerence have compelled some of the Middle Powers in the region to constantly engage in discussion to cope with the emerging challenges so that the existing equilibrium is not unduly disturbed or altered.

This is being done bilaterally as well as by using regional forums such as summits of BRICS, SCO, ASEAN, EAS, ADMM-Plus etc.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was on a two-day visit to Vietnam from May 19 to 21, 2026, during which he met with Vietnam President To Lam, with both sides reaffirming commitment to stronger defence cooperation, maritime security and regional stability under the India-Vietnam Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the Indo-Pacific region.

It was during To Lam's visit to India in May that the existing strategic partnership between the two countries was upgraded to India-Vietnam Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Singh remarked that both countries share a strong bond rooted in mutual trust, shared values and close cooperation in defence, security and regional stability and that cooperation is a key pillar of the Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

AI And Defence Ties Expand

Singh also met with his Vietnamese counterpart General Phan Van Giang during which both reaffirmed strong ties and reviewed the growing India-Vietnam defence partnership and discussed ways to further deepen cooperation in maritime security, the defence industry, training and regional stability.

Both Singh and Giang jointly inaugurated the Language Lab established at the Air Force Officers College.

A memorandum of understanding was also exchanged focusing in the field of AI and quantum technology which marked a significant step towards closer ties and enhanced a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations.

Before leaving for Vietnam, Singh had said that he would focus with his counterpart to strengthen the defence industrial partnership, boost maritime collaboration and promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

During the talks, the two sides deliberated on the prevailing situation in the South China Sea, a region that has witnessed increasing Chinese military muscle-flexing.

Some countries in the ASEAN grouping such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei have competing claims to the parts of the South China Sea that fall within their Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) but China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its own.

There have been clashes between Vietnamese and Philippines navies with the Chinese navies in the recent past whenever the Chinese navy has intruded into the EEZs of Vietnam and the Philippines.

The growing concerns over China's sweeping claims of sovereignty over all of the South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons is an issue that India and some of the countries in the ASEAN grouping are addressing.

While Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei, have counterclaims over this oceanic space, India and many other democratic countries have been pressing for a peaceful settlement of the disputes and for adherence to international law, especially the UNCLOS of 1982.

When Singh visited Vietnam in 2022, a joint statement of India-Vietnam defence partnership towards 2030 was signed, based on which Singh and Giang held extensive talks on boosting bilateral defence industrial cooperation, including joint development of military hardware.

BrahMos Missile Issue

The possible sale of BrahMos supersonic missiles to Vietnam has been in the news for over a decade but no headway has been made.

It was expected the issue would figure To Lam's visit to India in early May, but it did not.

During Singh's visit to Vietnam too it was expected the agenda would be dominated by a possible $700 million (approximately Rs 5,900 crore/Rs 59 billion) BrahMos missile deal with Hanoi, but again it did not happen.

Had it been concluded, it would have included shore-based missile batteries, training programmes, logistics support, and an initial batch of missiles.

The reticence from the Vietnamese side to clinch a deal on the BrahMos missile could possibly be because of Vietnam's concern that such a deal would provoke Beijing.

It is a different matter that two other ASEAN members -- the Philippines and Indonesia -- have signed agreement to induct BrahMos missiles from India, thereby enhancing their coastal defence posture against growing Chinese naval activity in the South China Sea.

Be that as it may, Singh's trip underscored India's intent to consolidate its role as a key security partner in the Indo-Pacific while expanding industrial cooperation with two pivotal regional allies.

It was also expected that India's offer of assistance for the maintenance, repair, and modernisation of Vietnamese military platforms such as the Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft and Kilo-class submarines would figure in the discussion, but no clarity is available on this.

The BrahMos system is jointly developed by India and Russia. It is renowned for its supersonic speed of Mach 2.8, sea‑skimming trajectory, and extended range variants, making it a formidable anti‑ship weapon.

While for Vietnam, acquiring this capability would significantly strengthen deterrence architecture and bolster maritime security, for India the deal would have represented a major success for its Make in India defence export initiative, consolidating BrahMos Aerospace's record revenues of $548 million in 2025-2026 and reinforcing India's growing role as a defence exporter.

Though both sides could not clinch a deal on the BrahMos missile, the path is kept open as Singh and Giang reaffirmed defence and security cooperation, which remains as a key pillar of the Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The discussions highlighted joint research, co‑production of defence technologies, expanded naval and air force port calls, and enhanced maritime cooperation, reflecting a shared commitment to regional stability under India's MAHASAGAR vision.

It thus transpired that the engagements underscore India's strategic intent to strengthen partnerships across the Indo-Pacific, enhance deterrence capabilities of its allies, and expand its footprint in global defence markets.

Dr Rajaram Panda is a former Senior Fellow, MP-IDSA and PMML. He is also former ICCR Chair Professor at Reitaku University, Reitaku, JAPAN.

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff