Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Hanoi on Monday, 18 May for a two-day official visit to Vietnam, as the two nations mark a decade of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership — a relationship recently elevated to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (ECSP) during Vietnamese President To Lam's State Visit to India earlier this month.

Key Developments

The Embassy of India in Hanoi confirmed Singh's arrival in a post on X, noting that 'defence cooperation is one of the key pillars of the India-Vietnam Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.' The embassy also confirmed Singh would meet the Indian community in Hanoi on Monday evening.

Singh is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with General Phan Van Giang, Vietnam's Minister of National Defence, during his stay. The discussions are expected to focus on deepening strategic military cooperation, defence industrial partnerships, and maritime collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region.

What Singh Said Before Departing

Ahead of his departure, Singh posted on X outlining his priorities: 'I will focus on deepening strategic military cooperation, strengthening partnerships in the defense industry sector, and promoting maritime cooperation, thereby contributing to bolstering peace and stability in the Indian Ocean - Pacific region.'

The visit also coincides with the 136th birth anniversary of former Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh on 19 May. Singh is scheduled to lay a wreath at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum as a mark of respect.

Defence Partnership Milestones

According to the Indian Defence Ministry, a Joint Vision Statement of India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030 was signed during Singh's previous visit in June 2022. The document outlines a defined roadmap for bilateral defence cooperation, grounded in shared democratic values and a common interest in regional peace and prosperity.

South Korea: The Second Leg

After Vietnam, Singh will travel to South Korea — the second and final stop of his two-nation tour. There, he will hold bilateral talks with Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back, meet Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) chief Lee Yong-cheol, and chair an India-Korea business roundtable.

A notable highlight of the South Korea leg is the planned joint inauguration of an Indian War Memorial on 21 May, honouring Indian soldiers who served in the Korean War. The Defence Ministry noted that India's 60 Parachute Field Ambulance unit treated over two lakh patients and performed approximately 2,500 surgeries during the conflict. India also chaired the Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission, overseeing the peaceful repatriation of nearly 2,000 prisoners of war in the post-war phase.

The ministry described the alignment of India's Act East Policy and South Korea's Indo-Pacific Strategy as opening 'a new chapter in the relations between the two countries.' Singh's twin-nation tour signals India's intent to deepen its strategic footprint across Asia at a moment of heightened Indo-Pacific attention.