Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will pay an official visit to Vietnam from June 08-10, 2022, at the invitation of Vietnam’s Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang. The Raksha Mantri will start his visit by paying respects to Late President Ho Chi Minh at his Mausoleum in Hanoi.

Shri Rajnath Singh will hold bilateral talks with General Phan Van Giang, during which both the Ministers will review defence cooperation between the two countries and explore new initiatives to further strengthen the defence engagements. The two Ministers will also exchange views on regional and global issues of shared interest. The Raksha Mantri is also scheduled to call on the President of Vietnam Mr Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Mr Pham Minh Chinh.

At the Hong Ha Shipyard in Hai Phong, the Raksha Mantri will preside over the handing over ceremony of 12 High Speed Guard Boats constructed under the Government of India’s $US 100 million Defence Line of Credit to Vietnam. This project is significant in the context of the growing defence industry cooperation with Vietnam and exemplifies Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India, ‘Make for the World’.

During the visit, Shri Rajnath Singh will also visit the training institutions of Vietnam at Nha Trang, including the Telecommunication University where an Army Software Park is being established with the $US 5 million grant from Government of India. He will also attend a community event organised by the Embassy of India, Hanoi and interact with the Indian diaspora in Vietnam.

India and Vietnam share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership since 2016 and defence cooperation is a key pillar of this partnership. Vietnam is an important partner in India’s Act East policy and the Indo-Pacific vision. Bilateral defence engagements have expanded over a period of time to include wide-ranging contacts between the two countries, including defence policy dialogues, military-to-military exchanges, high-level visits, capacity building and training programmes, cooperation in UN Peace Keeping, ship visits and bilateral exercises.  

The Raksha Mantri’s visit on the historic occasion of 50 years of establishment of India-Vietnam Diplomatic relations and 75 years of India’s Independence will further consolidate the bilateral defence cooperation and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

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ABB/Savvy