Reviving Russia’s weapons exports to Vietnam in focus as Putin visits Hanoi

The Russian leader is set for talks in Vietnam with Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who serves as Vietnam’s de facto top leader, President To Lam and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

“While the demands of the war in Ukraine must be met first, Russia appears motivated to retain its traditional customers in these difficult times by offering long-term contracts,” said Carl Thayer, an emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales and specialist on Vietnamese defence issues.

“Russia appears willing to sell if the price is right or exchange military hardware for goods, that is, counter trade,” he added.

Russia, traditionally one of the world’s top weapons exporters, has seen its market share plummet since it began its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Arms exports dropped 53 per cent between 2019 and 2023, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), as the needs of the Russian military took priority.

“My understanding is that Russia has already on multiple occasions taken products intended for export and directed them toward Ukrainian battlefields,” said Chris Miller, a professor at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Massachusetts and author of the 2022 bestselling book Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology.

Russia’s arms exports have continued even as it hunts for ammunition overseas. According to SIPRI, Russia had received orders for 78 combat aircraft, as well as five warships, at least 16 surface-to-air missile systems and 464 tanks at the end of 2023. India, China and Egypt are its largest clients.

Zachary Abuza, a professor of national security strategy with a focus on Southeast Asia at the National War College