This paper examines Vietnam-India defense cooperation since the two countries elevated their bilateral relations to the strategic partnership in 2007. The paper gives an insight into the reality of the bilateral defense partnership highlighted by high-level exchange visits, an annual security dialogue, naval port visits, military training and maritime capacity building as well as assistance in maintaining military equipment, and arms transfer. The new height of Vietnam-India partnership is arguably an indispensable result not only due to the long-standing relations of amity and the elevation of the strategic partnership, but also, more importantly, due to both countries’ increasingly converging strategic interests in the past decade. The new achievements in Vietnam-India defense and security cooperation will lay a sound ground for both countries to forge ahead comprehensive and authentic cooperation in the coming years to bid for a greater role and position in the region and in the context of a rising and increasingly assertive China, particularly in territorial claims. This study is conducted employing qualitative method with data drawn from published party documents, policy papers, international journal articles, and particularly domestic and international media outlets that covered debates on foreign policy related issues and reviews of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
