Ajit Doval Meets Vietnam Defence Minister to Deepen Ties

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Monday met Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, General Phan Van Giang, in Hanoi to review ongoing bilateral defence cooperation. Both sides agreed to further deepen engagement in the defence sector as India and Vietnam continue to strengthen their strategic partnership.

The Embassy of India in Vietnam shared details of the meeting in a post on X, confirming that the discussions focused on the progress of existing defence cooperation and opportunities to expand collaboration.

Doval and Vietnam’s Defence Minister Discuss Bilateral Cooperation

During the meeting, Doval held discussions with General Phan Van Giang, a Politburo member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence.

In its post on X, the Indian Embassy said the two sides reviewed their ongoing defence partnership and agreed to deepen engagement in the sector.

“NSA Ajit Doval met General Phan Van Giang, Politburo Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence of Viet Nam, today. They reviewed ongoing bilateral defence cooperation and agreed to further deepen engagements in this domain,” the Embassy posted.

Doval arrived in Hanoi on Sunday for an official visit. During his stay, he is scheduled to interact with Vietnamese leaders and review progress under the India-Vietnam Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Visit Follows Elevation of India-Vietnam Ties in May 2026

The NSA’s visit comes after India and Vietnam elevated their bilateral relationship to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Vietnamese President To Lam’s visit to India in May 2026.

During the visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President To Lam held wide-ranging discussions on bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Both leaders highlighted the benefits of stronger cooperation for their respective countries and said closer ties would support national development priorities, including India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision and Vietnam’s Vision 2045.

They also welcomed the effective implementation of the Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030, which provides a framework for expanding defence cooperation between the two countries.

Fourth India-Vietnam Security Dialogue Held in New Delhi

The discussions in Hanoi follow another round of security engagement between the two countries last month. India and Vietnam held the fourth edition of their Security Dialogue in New Delhi, reviewing cooperation across several traditional and emerging security areas.

The discussions covered counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, maritime engagements, economic security and emerging technologies. The dialogue was co-chaired by India’s Deputy National Security Advisor Pavan Kapoor and Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Public Security, Senior Lieutenant General Pham The Tung.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both sides reviewed ongoing cooperation and exchanged views on the regional and global security environment.

“Both sides undertook a comprehensive review of ongoing cooperation between the two countries covering, inter alia, economic security, maritime engagements, counter-terrorism, emerging technologies and cyber security. They also exchanged views on the regional and global security environment and reaffirmed their commitment to closer collaboration on issues of mutual interest,” the MEA said.

Security Dialogue Conducted Under 2016 Agreement

The MEA said the India-Vietnam Security Dialogue is held every two years under a 2016 Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation between India’s National Security Council Secretariat and Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security.

The dialogue provides a platform for both countries to review cooperation on security matters and discuss regional and international developments affecting their interests.

Doval’s meeting with General Phan Van Giang adds to the continuing high-level engagement between New Delhi and Hanoi. With defence cooperation and broader security coordination forming important parts of their strategic partnership, both countries have reiterated their intention to expand collaboration across these areas.