Rajnath Singh meets Vietnam President To Lam, reaffirms strong strategic ties

Defence Minister of India Rajnath Singh arrived in Hanoi for his two-day visit on Monday aimed at strengthening strategic military ties and expanding defence cooperation under the recently upgraded India-Vietnam Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

During his visit, the Defence Minister met President of Vietnam To Lam. Taking to his X, Singh said that the cooperation is a key pillar of the Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

Singh said that India and Vietnam share a strong bond rooted in mutual trust, shared values and close cooperation in defence, security and regional stability.

Had a bilateral meeting with Vietnamese counterpart

The Defence Minister also held a bilateral meeting with Vietnamese Defence Minister General Phan Van Giang in Hanoi. Both sides reaffirmed strong ties and reviewed the growing India-Vietnam Defence partnership and discussed ways to further deepen cooperation in maritime security, the defence industry, training and regional stability.

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"India and Vietnam share a strong and enduring bond rooted in mutual trust, shared values and close cooperation in defence, security and regional stability," Singh wrote.

Strengthening bilateral ties

The discussions reflected the shared resolve of both countries to further strengthen bilateral ties and contribute towards peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo Pacific region," he added.

Both the leaders jointly inaugurated the Language Lab established at the Air Force Officers College, Vietnam.

The Memorandum of Understanding was also exchanged focusing in the field of AI and quantum technology which marked a significant step towards the closer ties and enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations.

As the Defence Minister arrived, Indian Embassy in Hanoi welcomed him and described defence cooperation as a key pillar of bilateral relations and noted that the minister would also engage with the Indian community in Vietnam.

He also paid homage to the founding father of Vietnam, President Ho Chi Minh, at his Mausoleum on the occasion of his 136th birth anniversary.