NE DEFENCE BUREAU
NEW DELHI, MAY 18
In a significant diplomatic and strategic outreach aimed at strengthening India’s position in the Indo-Pacific region, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has embarked on a high-profile official visit to Vietnam and South Korea, focusing on military cooperation, maritime security and defence industrial partnerships.
Addressing the Indian community event at Hanoi in Vietnam. https://t.co/s8jVQpDzae
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) May 18, 2026
The multi-nation visit, seen as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s broader “Act East Policy,” comes at a time when geopolitical competition and security concerns in the Indo-Pacific are rapidly intensifying.
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh embarks on crucial Vietnam and South Korea visit to strengthen Indo-Pacific partnerships
- Focus on military cooperation, defence manufacturing and maritime security collaboration
- India and Vietnam mark 10 years of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with enhanced defence engagement
- South Korea visit to boost defence industry ties and honour India’s historic role in the Korean War
- Visits underline PM Narendra Modi government’s growing “Act East” strategic vision in Asia-Pacific region
Before departing, Rajnath Singh said the visit would focus on expanding bilateral defence engagements, enhancing strategic coordination and promoting peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific region.
India-Vietnam Defence Ties Enter New Phase
Rajnath Singh’s Vietnam visit assumes special significance as the two nations mark ten years of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, recently elevated to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the Vietnamese President’s state visit to India earlier this month.
During his visit, the Raksha Mantri is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with Vietnam’s Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang.
Officials said discussions are expected to centre around:
- Maritime cooperation in the South China Sea region
- Defence training and military exchanges
- Indigenous defence manufacturing partnerships
- Regional security coordination
- Indo-Pacific stability initiatives
India and Vietnam have steadily strengthened defence ties in recent years, particularly in naval cooperation, capacity building and strategic coordination.
Shared Democratic Interests in Indo-Pacific
Strategic experts believe India and Vietnam increasingly view each other as trusted regional partners amid evolving geopolitical challenges.
The two countries share common concerns regarding maritime freedom, regional stability and maintaining a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.
A major milestone in bilateral defence cooperation was the signing of the India-Vietnam Defence Partnership Vision Statement toward 2030 during Rajnath Singh’s earlier Vietnam visit in 2022.
The agreement laid down a long-term roadmap for defence collaboration between the two democracies.
Tribute to Ho Chi Minh
The visit also carries symbolic and historical significance.
Coinciding with the 136th birth anniversary of former Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh, Rajnath Singh will pay tribute at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi.
Officials described the gesture as a reflection of India’s long-standing respect for Vietnam’s national legacy and historical friendship.
South Korea Visit to Expand Defence Industry Partnership
Following Vietnam, Rajnath Singh will travel to the Republic of Korea from May 19 to 21 for high-level talks with South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back.
The two sides are expected to review existing defence cooperation and explore fresh initiatives in areas including:
- Advanced defence technology
- Defence manufacturing
- Aerospace collaboration
- Maritime security
- Supply chain resilience
Rajnath Singh will also meet Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) Minister Lee Yong-cheol and chair the India-Korea business roundtable aimed at boosting industrial cooperation.
Remembering India’s Humanitarian Role in Korean War
One of the emotionally significant moments of the South Korea visit will be the joint inauguration of the Indian War Memorial with South Korea’s Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Kwon Oh-eul.
The memorial honours India’s humanitarian and peacekeeping role during the Korean War.
India’s contribution included deploying the Indian Army’s 60 Parachute Field Ambulance unit, which treated more than two lakh patients and performed thousands of surgeries during the conflict.
India also chaired the Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission and deployed the Custodian Force of India for the peaceful repatriation of prisoners of war after the war.
Officials say the memorial serves as a reminder of India’s historic commitment to global peacekeeping and humanitarian diplomacy.
Modi Government’s Expanding Indo-Pacific Vision
The visit reflects India’s growing strategic emphasis on the Indo-Pacific under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy framework.
The natural convergence between India’s “Act East Policy” and South Korea’s Indo-Pacific Strategy has significantly strengthened bilateral ties in recent years.
Defence analysts believe India is increasingly positioning itself as a major stabilising power in the Indo-Pacific through:
- Strategic partnerships
- Defence diplomacy
- Maritime collaboration
- Indigenous defence manufacturing
- Regional economic engagement
As Asia emerges as the world’s primary geopolitical theatre, Rajnath Singh’s visit is being viewed as part of India’s larger effort to deepen trusted partnerships with like-minded nations.
