During a visit to New Delhi this week, Vietnamese President To Lam is anticipated to talk about strengthening defence ties with India, including the possible acquisition of BrahMos missiles that were jointly developed with Russia, according to two sources.
The Philippines has already purchased the supersonic cruise missiles from India, which has been increasing its domestic defence production for both domestic and international markets. In March, the country also signed a contract with Indonesia.
According to one of the sources, a deal with Vietnam might be worth roughly 60 billion rupees ($629 million), including logistical support and training.In light of China's expanding influence, India views Vietnam as a crucial component of its plan to maintain peace in the Indo-Pacific area.
According to a third source, To Lam's visit from May 5–7 may include some statements about defence cooperation, but no signing of a weapons agreement was anticipated.
On Tuesday, To Lam reached Bodh Gaya, a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the east.
Since they were not permitted to speak to the media about government negotiations, all of the sources declined to be named.
Requests for comment were not immediately answered by the foreign ministries of Vietnam and India, or by the missile manufacturer BrahMos Aerospace. The Russian and Indian governments have partnered to create BrahMos.

In the most recent fiscal year, two-way commerce between Vietnam and India exceeded $16 billion, and both countries have been eager to deepen their economic connections.
In 2023, India gifted the indigenously constructed missile corvette Kirpan to the Vietnamese military as part of its training assistance.