India and Vietnam Expand Defense and Economic Ties

The Government of India and the Government of Vietnam agreed to expand defense and economic cooperation during a series of high-level meetings in New Delhi on September 14, 2026. The discussions, which included the 19th India-Vietnam Joint Commission Meeting and talks on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit, focused on joint production of military hardware, technology sharing, and the strengthening of supply chains.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Vietnamese officials to designate Vietnam as a key pillar of India's Act East policy and MAHASAGAR vision. The two nations aim to reach a bilateral trade target of 25 billion dollars by 2030, with specific efforts to expand market access for Indian agricultural products and pharmaceuticals. Cooperation will also increase in the fields of nuclear energy, space, and rare earths.

Security collaboration will be further deepened through a proposed 2+2 mechanism. India's Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Vietnam's Deputy Minister of National Defence Nguyen Truong Thang held separate talks to accelerate defense industrial collaboration. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to a rule-based regional security architecture in the Indo-Pacific and scheduled the next Defence Policy Dialogue to take place during Aero India 2027. These agreements follow the recent elevation of bilateral ties to an enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership after a state visit by Vietnamese President To Lam.