India’s Indo-Pacific Push: Rajnath Singh To Visit Vietnam, South Korea For Defence And Maritime Talks

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to visit Vietnam and South Korea in the third week of May, with defence cooperation, military industrial partnerships and broader strategic engagement in the Indo-Pacific set to dominate discussions. During the visit, Rajnath Singh is expected to hold talks with top leadership and defence stakeholders in both countries, focusing on expanding defence collaboration, technology sharing and maritime security cooperation.

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Vietnam Visit: Focus On Missiles And Coastal Defence

In Vietnam, discussions are likely to centre around strengthening coastal defence capabilities, with defence sources indicating that interest in the BrahMos supersonic cruise

missile system could come up during the talks. BrahMos missile system has already been exported to the Philippines, and India has been in discussions with several countries in the region for possible sales as part of its expanding defence export push.

Vietnam has been seeking to bolster its maritime and coastal defence posture amid evolving security dynamics in the South China Sea. During Vietnamese President To Lam’s recent visit to India, both sides had already explored deeper defence industrial cooperation, including potential collaboration in missile systems and broader military platforms.

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South Korea Visit: Shipbuilding And Defence Manufacturing In Focus

South Korea is expected to be a key stop in the visit, with a strong emphasis on defence manufacturing, naval cooperation, and shipbuilding technology. India has been actively exploring partnerships to expand domestic shipbuilding capacity, and South Korean firms are among global leaders in naval and commercial vessel construction.

Officials familiar with the discussions said cooperation in shipyard modernisation, advanced shipbuilding technology and industrial partnerships may feature prominently in the talks. India’s push to strengthen indigenous defence production under the “Make in India” initiative has also placed renewed focus on maritime industrial capabilities, including both naval and commercial shipbuilding.

Existing Defence Partnership And Industrial Collaboration

South Korea already has a growing defence partnership with India. A key example is the K9 Vajra self-propelled artillery system, which is being manufactured in India through collaboration between Larsen & Toubro and South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace. K9 Vajra has often been cited as a successful model of defence technology transfer and local manufacturing.

Over recent years, India and South Korea have also expanded cooperation in defence electronics, aerospace systems, and maritime security, reflecting shared interests in maintaining a stable and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.

Broader Strategic Context

The proposed visit reflects India’s growing emphasis on defence diplomacy in East and Southeast Asia, alongside efforts to expand defence exports and deepen industrial partnerships. With maritime security and supply chain resilience becoming key strategic priorities, the visits to Vietnam and South Korea are expected to further reinforce India’s engagement with like-minded partners in the Indo-Pacific region.