India and Vietnam agree to co-produce defence equipment and deepen trade ties

At one outlet India-Vietnam Joint Commission Meeting, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Vietnamese minister Le Hoai Trung outlined a roadmap to deepen defence collaboration through joint production of Indian defence hardware. They also committed to expanding bilateral trade by creating more resilient supply chains and widening market access for Indian marine, agricultural and pharmaceutical goods. The statement highlighted further cooperation in air and port connectivity, nuclear energy, space, heritage preservation, seafarer standards and capacity-building programmes.

Both ministers reaffirmed their alignment on regional issues, including the South China Sea and West Asia, and stressed coordination in multilateral forums. The move builds on the enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership signed in May, which aims for $25 billion of annual trade by 2030. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision MAHASAGAR for Global South engagement underpins the broader strategic context.