India and Vietnam deepen defence ties, boost Made‑in‑India weapon supplies

New Delhi saw another round of high‑level talks on Monday as India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar sat down with Vietnam’s Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung. The two leaders, co‑chairing the 19th India‑Vietnam Joint Commission Meeting (JCM), used the occasion to mull over a long‑list of issues – from politics and security to trade, energy and culture.

Jaishankar was quick to label the meeting “productive and outcome‑oriented”. He said the conversations zeroed in on three things: tightening political, defence and security cooperation; widening the supply of Made‑in‑India defence articles; and pushing ahead on trade, investment, supply‑chain resilience, energy projects, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and cultural exchanges.

After the talks, the minister took to X (formerly Twitter) and listed the take‑aways in a series of bullet‑points – a little like a shopping list for diplomacy. He highlighted a “strengthened India‑Vietnam political, defence and security cooperation”, the “increased supply of Made‑in‑India defence articles”, and a “constructive discussion on trade, investment and supply chains”. He also noted progress in market access for marine, agricultural and pharmaceutical products, deeper energy collaboration, and initiatives to preserve heritage and promote cultural projects.

Both sides stressed how crucial Vietnam is to India’s broader “Look East”, ASEAN, Indo‑Pacific, MAHASAGAR and Global South strategies. Jaishankar, in his opening remarks, called Vietnam a “significant partner” for the Act East policy and for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership India enjoys with ASEAN. He added that the 19th JCM is a chance to turn high‑level political momentum into real‑world benefits for citizens of both countries.

In a friendly gesture, the Vietnamese minister congratulated India on the successful 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi, praising the “substantive declaration” that, in his view, reinforced key principles of international law, peace, security and development. He also lauded the concrete initiatives that emerged from the summit.

The meeting came on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s talk with his Vietnamese counterpart Lee Minh Hung, also in New Delhi, where they underscored defence and security cooperation. Modi reiterated that Vietnam remains a “key pillar” of India’s Act East Policy and the MAHASAGAR vision, signalling that the diplomatic camaraderie is only set to deepen.