IAF Chief meets Vietnam's military leader to boost defence cooperation

Indian Air Force Chief AP Singh met his Vietnamese counterpart, General Nguyen Tan Cuong, in Hanoi. They reviewed defence ties, focusing on enhancing Air Force-to-Air Force engagement, capacity building, and professional exchanges.

Indian Air Force Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh met with General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army and Deputy Minister of National Defence, on Wednesday during his official visit to Vietnam to advance bilateral military cooperation.

According to the Embassy of India in Vietnam, the high-level talks focused on reviewing the growing trajectory of India-Vietnam defence collaboration, with "particular emphasis on enhancing Air Force-to-Air Force engagement, capacity building, and professional exchanges." During the meeting, the two military leaders also exchanged perspectives on regional and global security issues.

"In the framework of the ongoing official visit to Vietnam, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, paid a courtesy call on General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army and Deputy Minister of National Defence," the Embassy wrote. "The two sides reviewed the positive developments in Vietnam-India defence cooperation, particularly emphasizing the strengthening of cooperation between the two countries' Air Forces, capacity building, and promoting professional exchange activities. They also exchanged views on regional and international security issues of mutual concern," it added.

The embassy noted that the discussions "reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Vietnam to further deepen defence cooperation under the Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership."

Framework of India-Vietnam Defence Cooperation

According to MEA, defence & security cooperation is one of the central pillars of the Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Viet Nam. This cooperation is guided by the MoU on Defence Cooperation of 2009 and the Joint Vision on Defence Cooperation of 2015.

In June 2022, the two sides also agreed upon a 'Joint Vision Statement on India-Viet Nam Defence Partnership towards 2030' and signed an MoU on Mutual Logistics Support.

Defence Industry and Logistical Support

Bilateral defence engagement has also diversified to wider military-to-military dialogue and capacity building & training among all arms of the forces. Both sides have also taken steps to strengthen the Defence Industry Cooperation between India and Viet Nam by signing a Letter of Intent in November 2025.

In July 2023, India gifted an indigenously built missile corvette INS Kirpan to Viet Nam. Earlier, 12 high speed guard boats, built by Indian manufacturer Larsen & Toubro under bilateral line of credit of USD 100 million were handed over to Viet Nam in June 2022. Two more Lines of Credit of USD 120 million and USD 180 million have been signed between the EXIM Bank of India and the Finance Ministry of Viet Nam in July 2024, and are being undertaken, currently, MEA stated.

Joint Military Exercises

Armed forces from both sides also interact with each other during maritime and peacekeeping exercise. The last edition (6th) of the India-Viet Nam peacekeeping Exercise VINBAX was held in Vietnam in November-December 2025. Navies from both sides also undertake regular OTRs at each other's ports, according to MEA.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)