19 May,2026 11:38 AM IST | Hanoi | mid-day online correspondent
Pic/AFP
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday held bilateral talks with Vietnamese Defence Minister Phan Van Giang in Hanoi, with both sides reviewing defence cooperation and discussing regional security issues amid growing strategic ties between India and Vietnam.
The meeting took place during Singh's official visit to Vietnam, which coincides with the tenth anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
Following the talks, Singh said the discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in areas such as maritime security, defence manufacturing, military training and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
In a post on X, the defence minister described the meeting as productive and reiterated India's commitment to expanding ties with Vietnam.
"Held a productive bilateral meeting with Gen. Phan Van Giang, Defence Minister of Vietnam. We reviewed the growing India-Vietnam defence partnership and discussed ways to further deepen cooperation in maritime security, defence industry, training and regional stability," Singh said.
He added that India remained committed to strengthening its Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Vietnam.
India and Vietnam have steadily deepened defence engagement over the years through naval cooperation, military exchanges, defence training programmes and strategic dialogue mechanisms.
During the visit, the two sides jointly inaugurated a new Language Lab established at the Air Force Officers College in Vietnam as part of ongoing defence education cooperation.
India and Vietnam also exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) related to artificial intelligence and quantum technology cooperation.
Singh said the agreement represented another step forward in the growing strategic partnership between the two countries.
"Glad that both sides also exchanged an MoU in the field of AI and quantum technology, marking another important step in our Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," he stated.
The agreement is expected to strengthen collaboration in emerging defence and technological sectors, which have become increasingly important in bilateral cooperation.
Addressing the bilateral meeting, Singh underlined the longstanding historical relationship between India and Vietnam and described the ties as being built on mutual trust and strong defence cooperation.
"India and Vietnam have shared deep and cordial relations for a long time, based on a strong foundation of defence cooperation and mutual trust," he said.
The defence minister also paid tribute to Ho Chi Minh on his 136th birth anniversary during his visit to Hanoi.
Singh said Ho Chi Minh was highly respected in India and recalled his 1958 visit to India, which he described as an important moment in building ties between the two countries.
"He was a visionary leader who is held in high regard in India. His historic visit to India in 1958 laid a strong foundation for lasting relations between the two countries," Singh said.
Singh noted that the visit carries special significance as it marks ten years of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Vietnam.
He welcomed the recent decision to elevate the relationship to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Vietnamese President To Lam's recent visit to India.
The defence minister expressed confidence that the latest discussions would help expand cooperation further in the coming years.
"I am confident that our discussion today will further strengthen our defence cooperation and open new avenues for cooperation in the coming years," Singh said.
Earlier in the day, Rajnath Singh also paid homage at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi on the occasion of the Vietnamese leader's birth anniversary.
