India-Vietnam Coast Guards hold 7th meet, joint exercise SAHYOG-HOPTAC set for Aug 27
Synopsis
India and Vietnam's coast guards are moving from MoUs to live drills — the second SAHYOG-HOPTAC exercise off Chennai on 27 August follows a high-level meeting that covered SAR, pollution response, and law enforcement. With BrahMos missiles already sold and a joint cyber security chair lined up for 2027–2030, this is no longer a peripheral partnership.
Key Takeaways
The Indian Coast Guard and Vietnam Coast Guard held their 7th high-level bilateral meeting in Chennai on 25 August 2026 .
The meeting was co-chaired by ICG DG Paramesh Sivamani and Major General Luong Dinh Hung , VCG Vice Commandant.
Joint exercise SAHYOG-HOPTAC (second edition) will be conducted off Chennai from 27 August 2026 ; VCG ship CSB 8002 has been deployed.
Cooperation is governed by the 2015 MoU on Coast Guard Cooperation and covers SAR, law enforcement, and marine pollution response.
Vietnam has signed a deal with India for BrahMos anti-ship missiles for a shore-based battery.
India and Vietnam will co-chair the ADMM-Plus EWG on Cyber Security for the 2027–2030 cycle.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) convened their 7th high-level bilateral meeting in Chennai on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, ahead of a joint maritime exercise scheduled for later this week. The talks reaffirmed both nations' commitment to maritime safety, law enforcement, and environmental protection in the Indo-Pacific region.
Key Developments from the Chennai Meeting
The meeting was co-chaired by ICG Director General Paramesh Sivamani and Major General Luong Dinh Hung, Vice Commandant of the Vietnam Coast Guard. Discussions centred on maritime Search and Rescue (SAR), marine pollution response, maritime law enforcement, and capacity building.
Both sides reviewed the status of ongoing bilateral engagements — including professional exchanges and ship visits — and underscored the value of regular institutional interactions in building mutual trust. The meeting was conducted under the framework of the 2015 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Coast Guard Cooperation.
SAHYOG-HOPTAC: What the Joint Exercise Entails
The meeting served as a precursor to the second edition of SAHYOG-HOPTAC, the India-Vietnam Coast Guard Joint Exercise, to be held off the coast of Chennai from Thursday, 27 August 2026. The VCG has deployed its vessel CSB 8002 for the drill, while the ICG will participate with its own platforms.
The exercise is designed to sharpen operational coordination, test interoperability, and facilitate the exchange of best practices between the two maritime forces.
Broader Defence Context: India-Vietnam Ties
The bilateral engagement extends well beyond coast guard cooperation. Vietnam — despite being governed by a Communist administration — faces persistent pressure from China, whose naval and coast guard platforms regularly operate within Vietnam's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
In a significant defence milestone, Vietnam has signed a deal with India for the supply of BrahMos anti-ship missiles for a shore-based battery. India also provides military training to Vietnamese personnel and is supporting the establishment of an Army Software Park at the Telecommunications University in Nha Trang.
Looking ahead, the two countries are set to co-chair the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus Experts' Working Group (ADMM-Plus EWG) on Cyber Security for the 2027–2030 cycle — signalling a deepening strategic alignment that spans maritime, defence, and digital domains.
What Officials Said
'The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Vietnam to work together in the spirit of friendship and cooperation towards promoting maritime safety, security and environmental sustainability in the region,' an official statement said.
Why This Matters
The India-Vietnam coast guard partnership sits within a larger strategic calculus: both nations have an interest in a rules-based maritime order in the South China Sea and the broader Indo-Pacific. This is the second SAHYOG-HOPTAC exercise, reflecting the growing operational depth of a relationship that has moved from diplomatic rhetoric to deployable military hardware and joint drills. As China's maritime assertiveness intensifies, India's coast guard and defence partnerships with regional neighbours carry increasing strategic weight.
Point of View
Not just a commercial transaction. The co-chairing of the ADMM-Plus cyber security working group for 2027–2030 further cements Vietnam as one of India's more consequential Indo-Pacific partners. What mainstream coverage underplays is that this relationship is being built on interoperability, not just intent — and that distinction matters when the South China Sea calculus shifts.
NationPress
26 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was discussed at the India-Vietnam Coast Guard high-level meeting in Chennai?
The 7th India-Vietnam Coast Guard high-level meeting in Chennai on 25 August 2026 focused on maritime Search and Rescue, marine pollution response, law enforcement, and capacity building. Both sides also reviewed ongoing professional exchanges and ship visits under the 2015 MoU on Coast Guard Cooperation.
What is the SAHYOG-HOPTAC exercise?
SAHYOG-HOPTAC is the India-Vietnam Coast Guard Joint Exercise. The second edition is scheduled off Chennai from 27 August 2026, with the VCG deploying ship CSB 8002 and the ICG participating with its own platforms. The exercise focuses on operational coordination, interoperability, and best-practice exchange.
Why does India-Vietnam maritime cooperation matter strategically?
Vietnam's Exclusive Economic Zone is regularly infringed upon by Chinese naval and coast guard platforms, making maritime security a shared priority for India and Vietnam. India's coast guard and defence partnerships in the region support a rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific.
Has India supplied defence equipment to Vietnam?
Yes. Vietnam has signed a deal with India for BrahMos anti-ship missiles for a shore-based defence battery. India also provides military training to Vietnamese personnel and is supporting an Army Software Park at the Telecommunications University in Nha Trang.
What is the ADMM-Plus EWG on Cyber Security, and what role will India and Vietnam play?
The ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus Experts' Working Group (ADMM-Plus EWG) on Cyber Security is a multilateral forum for defence cyber cooperation. India and Vietnam will co-chair this group for the 2027–2030 cycle, deepening their strategic collaboration beyond maritime domains.
