India, Vietnam discuss increasing supplies of ‘Made in India’ defence equipment
S Jaishankar co-chaired the 19th India-Vietnam Joint Commission Meeting with FM Le Hoai Trung in New Delhi. Image courtesy: X.com/@DrSJaishankar
New Delhi: India and Vietnam have discussed increasing supplies of defence equipment that are indigenously made in India as the two countries expand defence industrial and security cooperation under the India-Vietnam Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The issue figured in talks between the external affairs minister, S Jaishankar, and Vietnamese foreign minister, Le Hoai Trung in New Delhi on Monday.
The two ministers co-chaired the 19th India-Vietnam Joint Commission Meeting on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation. Jaishankar said the discussions covered stronger political, defence and security cooperation, increased supply of Indian-made defence articles and cooperation across trade, investment, supply chains, energy, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and cultural projects.
No specific weapon system, platform or fresh procurement contract was identified in the public account of the meeting.
The ministerial talks followed another defence engagement in New Delhi on Sunday, when the defence secretary, Rajesh Kumar Singh, met Vietnam’s deputy defence minister, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang. The two sides discussed accelerating joint initiatives, technology sharing and defence industrial collaboration while expanding maritime cooperation. They also agreed that the next defence-policy dialogue would be held in India on the sidelines of Aero India 2027.
The defence cooperation between New Delhi and Hanoi has expanded steadily in recent years. In May, the defence minister, Rajnath Singh, and his Vietnamese counterpart, General Phan Van Giang, discussed joint research, co-development and co-production along with deeper maritime and defence industry cooperation.
During Singh’s visit to Hanoi later that month, the two sides also signed a memorandum of understanding on artificial intelligence and quantum technology and reaffirmed the importance of peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific.
India has already supplied defence platforms to Vietnam. Twelve high-speed guard boats built under a $100 million Indian defence line of credit were handed over in 2022, while India transferred the fully operational missile corvette INS Kirpan to the Vietnam People’s Navy in July 2023. Reuters reported in May that India had also signed an agreement to supply Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles to Vietnam, citing the defence secretary, Rajesh Kumar Singh, although details of the deal have not been publicly disclosed.
Partnership gets fresh momentum
The latest talks come days after the prime minister, Narendra Modi, met the Vietnamese prime minister, Le Minh Hung, during the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. As RNA Media reported, the two leaders discussed deeper defence and security cooperation, including a proposed 2+2 mechanism, as well as greater cooperation in energy, rare earths and space.
India and Vietnam elevated their relationship to an “enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership” during Vietnamese president To Lam’s state visit to India from May 5 to 7. The joint statement identified defence industrial cooperation, maritime security, joint research and co-production of new defence technologies among priority areas.
The discussions also come as India expands overseas sales of domestically manufactured military equipment. Defence exports reached a record ₹38,424 crore in 2025-26, up 62.66 per cent from the previous financial year, according to the defence ministry.
Vietnam remains a key partner in India’s Act East Policy, Indo-Pacific engagement and Mahasagar vision. Monday’s Joint commission meeting points to further expansion of defence supplies and industrial cooperation, but no new platform specific sale or technology transfer agreement was announced.
