Vietnamese President To Lam is set to visit New Delhi this week, where he will discuss expanding defense ties with India. A key topic of discussion is the potential joint purchase of BrahMos missiles, which were jointly developed by Russia and India.
India has already sold these supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines and signed a contract with Indonesia in March. A deal with Vietnam could be worth about Rs60 billion ($629 million), including training and logistical support.
While some defense cooperation announcements are expected during To Lam’s visit from May 5-7, no signing of a weapons deal is anticipated.
To Lam arrived in Bodh Gaya on Tuesday, a Buddhist pilgrimage site. Both the foreign ministries of India and Vietnam, as well as BrahMos Aerospace, have not yet commented on the potential agreement.
Two-way trade between India and Vietnam exceeded $16 billion last year, with both sides keen to expand economic ties.