Indian Council of World Affairs

Abstract: India’s defence production and exports have grown rapidly over the last decade. Against this backdrop, Indo-Vietnamese relations have expanded their defence cooperation through military exercises, ship visits, a 2 + 2 dialogue and the recent BrahMos missile deal. 

Introduction

India has historically adopted a proactive approach in its relations with Southeast Asian countries rooted in shared linguistic, religious, spiritual and cultural ties[i]. The 1955 Bandung Conference and the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) showcased a shared commitment to establishing strong diplomatic ties post independence through post colonial solidarity and neutrality. However, India’s close political relations with the Soviet Union during the Cold War was viewed with suspicion due to the latter’s communist ideology[ii]. In the post Cold War period, India has repeatedly reaffirmed its engagement with Southeast Asia by adopting the “Look East Policy” in 1992 and the subsequent “Act East Policy” in 2014. India has focused on “prioritizing ASEAN” in the Act East Policy- emphasizing more on the collective region rather than bilateral relations[iii]. However, India has also pursued regional and issue based cooperation with some ASEAN members through the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, the creation of the BIMSTEC and an emphasis on Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam (CLMV). Vietnam, in particular, has emerged as an integral partner for India.

Indo-Vietnamese relations have, in particular, developed over the decades. Vietnam’s revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh’s visit to India in 1958 sowed the seeds for an enduring partnership[iv].  India was also among the first nations to recognize the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1972[v]. After the end of the Cold War, India and Vietnam have emphasized trade, agriculture and, more recently, defence[vi].

India’s expanding defence sector

Since 2016, India’s defence production and defence exports have grown exponentially. Driven largely by policy reforms and initiatives such as “Make in India” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat. Furthermore, there has also been an increase in the defence budget and budgetary allocation for defence research and development along with the facilitation of ease of doing business and defence-industry relations. India has also emphasized defence procurement and acquisition by adopting reforms to promote indigenous manufacturing as well as aid defence imports[vii]. Thus, apart from leveraging its position in the world order through regional organizations and minilaterals, India has also sought to strengthen its defence capabilities to achieve its state objectives. 

Source- Compiled by author from Data.gov.in and the Press Information Bureau

Indo-Vietnamese defence relations

Defence and security relations between India and Vietnam have developed rapidly over the past decade. Various naval exercises, ship visits, humanitarian assistance, defence exports, etc. signal the growing importance of Indo-Vietnamese defence ties. India’s offering of $500 million to Vietnam as a line of credit to “facilitate mutual defence cooperation” as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi[viii] indicated a mutual desire to reshape ties. It reaffirmed India’s image as a neutral player in the Southeast Asian region. For Vietnam, strengthening defence ties with India serves as a strategic counter weight to China’s growing presence in the South China Sea, supporting Vietnam’s efforts to consolidate its 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone[ix]. The meeting of defence ministers, military to military talks and the adoption of a strategic 2 + 2 dialogue all serve as pillars of a holistic defence and security partnership between the two countries. Army-to-army as well as navy-to-navy talks were held in 2016 and 2017 which furthered cooperation between the two countries’ militaries. This was followed by PASSEX- a passage exercise which aimed to promote capacity building and India’s operational presence in the South China Sea.

Since 2022, New Delhi and Hanoi have expedited their defence cooperation through ministerial visits and various agreements. INS Kirpan is a significant milestone- being the first active warship that India has gifted to a foreign navy[x]. The indigenously built in-service missile corvette serves as a symbol of growing Indo-Vietnamese ties. Additionally, various “goodwill” visits have been undertaken by the Eastern Fleet of the Indian Navy- most recently in June 2026[xi]. Thus, New Delhi and Hanoi have further accelerated defence cooperation through ministerial visits and high level agreements. This is exemplified by the “BrahMos deal” which was confirmed to have been signed between India and Vietnam by India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. He also asserted that a deal with Indonesia is “in the final stages”[xii]. This reaffirms India’s defence commitments with ASEAN countries. It also reiterates the growth of the Indo-Vietnamese defence partnership. The deal also showcases India’s increasing strategic influence in the Indo-Pacific region- with a deal with Indonesia being imminent. It facilitates New Delhi’s strategic influence across various other regions as well since countries such as Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Chile and Brazil have expressed their interest in acquiring the BrahMos missile[xiii].

The following table showcases a timeline of major events in Indo-Vietnamese defence relations post COVID-19-

Source- Compiled by author from various sources

Implications

The impact of evolving Indo-Vietnamese defence ties has extended beyond bilateral relations to the broader Southeast Asia region. As Hanoi seeks to diversify its partners to counter over-reliance, India aims to increase its sphere of influence in the Southeast Asia region, reiterate its neutrality and enhance its defence sector through defence exports and manufacturing. Having delivered the BrahMos missile to the Philippines and having finalized a deal with Vietnam, India has emerged as a key defence partner and arms exporter across Southeast Asia[xiv].

This partnership is mutually beneficial. For Hanoi, it is a means to diversify their defence assets and prevent overdependence on Russia. New Delhi, on the other hand, gains a key partner for its defence exports and it thereby fuels defence production. Furthermore, it strengthens India’s presence in the Southeast Asia region. It already plays a key role in the ASEAN forums such as the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and is now fostering close bilateral relations with countries within the region as well.

Conclusion

India’s defence and security diplomacy in Southeast Asia extends beyond multilateral platforms like ADMM-Plus or the ARF. By expanding bilateral defence exports to countries such as The Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia alongside joint naval and military exercises, New Delhi has emerged as an alternative for Southeast Asian countries seeking to diversify their security imports. The region is characterized by historical great power competition and thus countries seek to avoid overdependence and maintain ties with various countries.

India and Vietnam have built a robust defence and security partnership through proactive diplomacy over the past decade. This trajectory highlights India’s evolution into a key global defence manufacturer and exporter across the world, a shift driven by export indigenisation, market expansion and a focus on advanced military technologies.

Thus, India’s expanding defence sector coupled with its strategic diplomacy highlights New Delhi’s regional aspirations and growing potential.

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*Aditya Amonkar, Research Intern, Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi
Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. 

Endnotes 

[i] Shreya Singh. Mapping India’s Historical Ties with Southeast Asia. Indian Council of World Affairs. 27 December 2023. /show_content.php?lang=1&level=1&ls_id=10322&lid=6583. Accessed on 12 June 2026

[ii] Suyash Desai. Revisiting ASEAN-India Relations. The Diplomat. November 18 2017. https://thediplomat.com/2017/11/revisiting-asean-india-relations/. Accessed on 22 June 2026.

[iii] Premesha Saha. Prioritizing the “ASEAN” In India’s Act East Policy and Minilateral Partnerships. Asia Society Australia. September 5 2025. https://asiasociety.org/australia/prioritizing-asean-indias-act-east-policy-and-minilateral-partnerships. Accessed on 20 June 2026

[iv] Jawaharlal Nehru. Tribute to Ho Chi Minh. Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Second Series, Vol. 41, pp. 720. 7 February 1958 https://nehruarchive.in/documents/tribute-to-ho-chi-minh-7-february-1958-ln2x7. Accessed on June 18 2026.

[v] Embassy of India, Hanoi. India-Viet Nam Relations. n.d. https://www.indembassyhanoi.gov.in/page/bilateral-relations/. Accessed on June 21 2026

[vi] Ravi Neelakantan. “India-Vietnam Relations: From Foundation to Superstructure”. Paper presented at the International Scientific Conference, Hanoi, 20-21 March 2017. https://icwa.in/WriteReadData/L45218/1505731071.pdf. Accessed on June 13 2026.

[vii] Press Information Bureau. The Defence Decade. 17 June 2026. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2273854®=48&lang=2. Accessed on June 23 2026.

[viii] Ho Binh Minh. India offers $500 million defence credit as Vietnam seeks arms boost. Reuters. September 3 2016. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/india-offers-500-million-defence-credit-as-vietnam-seeks-arms-boost-idUSKCN11905X/. Accessed on June 17 2026.

[ix] India Writes Network. India, Vietnam to step up energy ties. August 26 2014. https://indiawrites.org/diplomacy/india-vietnam-to-step-up-energy-ties/. Accessed on June 21 2026.

[x] Press Information Bureau. INS KIRPAN SETS SAIL TO VIETNAM. June 28 2023. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1936047®=48&lang=2. Accessed on June 17 2026.

[xi] People’s Army Newspaper. Indian naval ships visit Ho Chi Minh City. June 23 2026. https://en.qdnd.vn/military/intl-relations-and-cooperation/indian-naval-ships-visit-ho-chi-minh-city-592314. Accessed on June 23 2026

[xii] Brahmos Aerospace. India delivers first batch of BRAHMOS missiles to Philippines. April 19 2024. https://www.brahmos.com/brahmos-in-media/114. Accessed on June 22 2026.

[xiii] TOI News Desk. India’s BrahMos widens global reach with fresh interest from six countries: Report. The Times of India. June 30 2026. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/defence/news/indias-brahmos-widens-global-reach-with-fresh-interest-from-six-countries-report/articleshow/132093662.cms. Accessed on June 30 2026

[xiv] TOI News Desk. Vietnam BrahMos deal in final stages, only minor clearances remain: BrahMos Aerospace chief. The Times of India. June 18 2026. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/defence/news/vietnam-brahmos-deal-in-final-stages-only-minor-clearances-remain-brahmos-aerospace-chief/articleshow/131826445.cms. Accessed on June 18 2026.