To Lam in India: BrahMos on agenda as Vietnam eyes supersonic missile Philippines, Indonesia have signed for

Defence cooperation, including a potential deal for the BrahMos missile, is set to feature prominently as Vietnamese President To Lam begins his three-day visit to India, signalling a further deepening of strategic ties between the two countries.

President Lam arrived in Gaya, Bihar, on Tuesday morning, where he was received at the airport by Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary along with senior officials.

Welcoming the visiting leader, Choudhary highlighted the cultural significance of the visit, saying the spiritual city of Gaya “warmly honors" the Vietnamese President’s arrival, and expressed confidence that the visit would take India-Vietnam relations to “new heights.”

This marks Lam’s first visit to India since assuming office as president.

According to officials, the Vietnamese leader will travel to New Delhi later in the day and is scheduled to hold wide-ranging discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. He is also expected to meet President Droupadi Murmu during his stay in the national capital.

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Sources indicate that alongside trade, energy, and regional security, defence cooperation will be a key focus area, particularly the possible export of the BrahMos missile system. The deal, if it materialises, would position Vietnam as the second international buyer of the missile after the Philippines and mark a major milestone in India’s push to expand defence exports.

India and Vietnam share a comprehensive strategic partnership, with defence ties emerging as a cornerstone of bilateral engagement. The discussions come against the backdrop of rising strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific and Vietnam’s efforts to bolster its maritime capabilities, especially in the South China Sea.