World
India’s NSA Doval Meets Vietnam Leaders to Deepen Defence and Strategic Ties
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval visited Hanoi on Monday to meet Vietnam’s deputy prime minister and defence minister, Gen Phan Van Giang. The two officials reviewed existing defence cooperation and agreed to further deepen engagements, according to a statement from the Indian Embassy. Phan urged India to continue supporting defence cooperation as a key pillar of the enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, a view echoed in an official Vietnamese readout. Doval expressed high regard for the Vietnam–India relationship, noting that cooperation with trustworthy partners is increasingly important for national development and autonomy.
The visit followed the elevation of bilateral ties to an enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership during President To Lam’s May visit to India. The partnership aims to raise two‑way trade from about $16 billion to $25 billion by 2030. Vietnam is the third Southeast Asian country, after the Philippines and Indonesia, set to acquire the BrahMos cruise missile system from India.
Doval also met Gen Luong Tam Quang, Vietnam’s minister of public security, to discuss security cooperation, and met Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung to plan ways to commemorate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2027. He was invited to showcase Indian defence products at the Vietnam International Defence Expo scheduled for December in Hanoi.
Defence cooperation has become a key area of collaboration, driven by shared concerns over China’s assertiveness, particularly in the South China Sea where Indian and Vietnamese firms are involved in oil exploration.
During his stay, Doval visited the historic Quan Su Pagoda in Hanoi, where he was received by Chief Abbot Thich Thanh Nhieu and Secretary General of the National Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Thich Duc Thien, reflecting the Buddhist heritage shared by both nations.