Rajnath Singh holds talks with Vietnam defence minister

On June 19, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with General Phan Van Giang, the Vietnamese Defence Minister, who was on a two-day visit to India. The meeting was attended by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and other high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Defence.

The discussions between the two defence ministers focused on strengthening bilateral defence ties and assessing the situation in the South China Sea, an area where China’s assertiveness is growing. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of common interest.

Both countries have elevated their relations to a “strategic partnership” since Vietnam’s then-Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to India in 2007. In 2016, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Vietnam, the bilateral relations were further elevated to a “comprehensive strategic partnership.”

Vietnam has become a significant partner for India as it emphasizes its Act East policy. Defence engagements between the two countries include extensive contacts between their armed forces, military-to-military exchanges, capacity-building initiatives, and training programs.

During Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to the country in June 2022, a Joint Vision Statement on the India-Vietnam defence partnership and a Memorandum of Understanding on mutual logistics support were signed. General Giang, on his visit to India, inspected the Tri-Service Guard of Honour and paid tribute at the National War Memorial by laying a wreath. He also had plans to visit Agra in Uttar Pradesh.