India will now “gift” a locally built missile corvette to Vietnam as well as look to step-up training of Vietnamese personnel in areas like electronic warfare, cyber security, and fighter jet operations, among other things, as China’s aggressive muscle-flexing figures highly on their radar screens.

On Monday, the delegation-level discussions between Vietnamese General Phan Van Giang and Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh “identified means” to strengthen already-existing areas of cooperation, particularly in the areas of defense-industrial cooperation, maritime security, and multinational cooperation.

The Vietnamese defence minister also paid a visit to the DRDO headquarters later in the day to talk about ways to improve defence industrial capabilities through collaboration in joint production and the potential acquisition of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, Akash surface-to-air missile systems, and other military hardware.

An official stated that Vietnam, which has been in talks about purchasing weapons like the indigenous Akash air defence missiles, “expressed keenness on transfer of technology.”

Singh said at the ministerial meeting that the 1,350-ton Khukri-class missile corvette INS Kirpan would be given to the Vietnamese People’s Navy as “a milestone in enhancing its capabilities.”

Due to Beijing’s territorial expansionism towards its neighbours, it has been deploying warships and survey vessels into Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on a regular basis, escalating the already tense situation in the South China Sea.

India has been strengthening its defence connections with Asean nations like Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines through routine joint exercises, military exchanges, and training programmes as a response to China’s salami-slicing tactics along its land boundaries.

After signing a $375 million agreement with the Philippines for the 290-km range BrahMos missiles in January 2022, India also plans to increase its armaments exports to Asean nations.

“Vietnam is an important partner in India’s Act East Policy and the Indo-Pacific region,” the official declared. Vietnam and India both deploy Kilo-class submarines, and India has been teaching Vietnamese fighter pilots to fly Sukhoi-30 planes as well as sailors in underwater combat operations.

 

At the National War Memorial, Vietnam’s Minister of National Defence places a wreath

On Monday, Vietnam requested an increase in the “annual 60 training slots” it now has at various Indian military schools. India agreed to favourably evaluate this request.

Vietnam was promised by India last year that it would receive whatever assistance feasible in modernising its armed forces. India had manufactured 12 high-speed guard boats for Vietnam under a $100 million line of credit.

In New Delhi, Rajnath Singh meets his Vietnamese counterpart

Along with finalising a reciprocal logistics support agreement that would let their military to utilise each other’s bases for supply replenishment and maintenance, the two nations also signed a “joint vision” document that outlines their plans to “significantly enhance the scope and scale” of their bilateral defence ties by 2030.

A contingent of the Vietnam People’s Army was also welcomed by India for the three-week “VINBAX” in August of last year, marking the organization’s first field training exercise abroad.