Rajnath Singh is in Vietnam for talks centred on a possible BrahMos missile sale. The visit highlights a wider push to deepen India-Vietnam defence coordination.
In his key official visit to Vietnam, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the discussions surrounding the possible sale of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system was once again the main focus. During the two-day visit from May 18 to 19, Singh is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Vietnam’s Minister of National Defence, General Phan Van Giang. The visit marks 10 years of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Vietnam, which was recently upgraded to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the Vietnamese President’s state visit to India earlier this month.
The potential BrahMos missile deal is being viewed as one of the most significant defence agreements currently under discussion between the two countries. Sources indicate that negotiations are in the final stages, with the proposed deal estimated to be worth nearly Rs 60 billion.
If finalised, Vietnam would become one of the key international operators of the Indo-Russian BrahMos missile system after the Philippines, which signed a Rs 36.11 billion agreement for the missile system in 2022.
The proposed acquisition is expected to significantly strengthen Vietnam’s maritime defence capabilities amid rising strategic tensions in the Indo-Pacific region. Several countries in Central Asia, South America and the Middle East have also reportedly shown interest in acquiring the missile system.
India and Vietnam had earlier signed a Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030 during Rajnath Singh’s previous visit to Vietnam in June 2022, outlining a roadmap for deeper defence cooperation.
Apart from official meetings, Singh is also expected to pay tribute to former Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh on the occasion of his 136th birth anniversary by laying a wreath at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.
Following his Vietnam visit, the Defence Minister will travel to South Korea from May 19 to 21 for discussions with South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back and Defence Acquisition Program Administration Minister Lee Yong-cheol.
