Promoting international cooperation to draw experience and effectively implement forms of cooperation, transfer, and application of scientific and technological achievements, realising the goal of a start-up nation from the defence industry is one of the main measures in Resolution No.08-NQ/TW issued on 26 January 2022 by the Politburo on promoting the development of defence industry until 2030 and beyond. Therefore, it needs to be thoroughly grasped by all levels and sectors and effectively implemented.

Our Party and State have long attached great importance to international cooperation all fields in general and in the defence industry in particular. Since President Ho Chi Minh signed the Decree on the establishment of the Military Weaponry Division, its two main tasks have been identified as: gathering and procurement of weapons and research and production of weapons for the army and the people. During the 60s and 70s of the 20^th century, the main weapons equipped for our army were “aid from socialist countries”. In the period of national reform, especially after the U.S. lifted the embargo, Vietnam has gradually expanded defence cooperation with other countries in many fields, including the defence industry.

In the process of “building a revolutionary, regular, elite, gradually modernised army with several services, branches, and forces advancing straight towards modernity; by 2025, basically building a elite, compact, and strong army that serves as the basis for building a revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern army by 2030” according to the Resolution of the 13^th Party Congress and the Resolution of the 11^th Congress of the Military Party Committee, the defence industry plays an increasingly pivotal role. Therefore, from the achievements and experience of implementing the previous Politburo’s Resolutions No. 05, 27, and 06, Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW issued on 26 January 2022 identified the development goals of the defence industry as “capable of researching, designing, manufacturing, and producing weapons and technical equipment with high tactical and technological features in line with the requirements of the armed forces, meeting the task of building a modern army.”

To achieve that goal, along with boosting internal resources, self-research, and production, promoting international cooperation, multilateralisation, and diversification of relations in the defence industry is a breakthrough solution. Thanks to the positive results of defence diplomacy, military science and technology potential have been raised; defence industry turned from mainly procurement into self-research, designing, manufacturing, and production with an increasing localisation rate. Some new domestic weapons and equipment manufactured by modern technology adopted from the defence industries of major powers have been put into training and combat readiness, such as infantry weapons, ships, radars, electronic warfare equipment, some types of missiles, etc. The manufacturing and export of products such as semi-finished infantry guns, submarine rescue ship, military and economic products, etc. to developed countries have seen positive results with an average revenue growth of 6.7%; actively contributing to socio-economic development, creating reinvestment resources for the defence industry. This not only affirms the intelligence and capability of the defence industry soldiers but also asserts the important role of international cooperation in mobilising the development potential of this industry.

In the upcoming time, it is likely that there are rapid, complicated, and unforeseeable international and global developments. Along with armed conflicts, local wars, etc. and increasing non-traditional security challenges, the Fourth Industrial Revolution has been affecting all the countries in different aspects, resulting in the appearance of new weapons and forms of war. As for our country, the task of modernising the Army by 2030, building and defending the Fatherland in the new situation puts increasing demands on the defence industry. That situation requires us to thoroughly grasp and effectively implement the resolutions and directives of the Party, the Central Military Commission, and the Ministry of National Defence on the development of the defence industry. Promoting international cooperation in this field is an inevitable trend to mobilise external power, learn from scientific achievements, management level, and experience of major powers as well as international law in building and developing a strong defence industry. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out synchronous measures, in which the main ones are mentioned as follows:

Firstly, stepping up institutional improvement and focusing on the renewal and completion of the legal documents on the defence industry. By thoroughly grasping and implementing the viewpoint of “strengthening the linkages, transfer, and transformation of technologies between the civilian industry and the defence industry, forming a number of shared innovation platforms” mentioned in Resolution No.29-NQ/TW issued on 17 November 2022 by the Politburo on continuing to accelerate industrialisation and modernisation until 2030, with a view to 2045 and the goals of Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW, functional agencies need to develop and promulgate the Law on Defence Industry, security, and industry mobilisation as well as other legal documents, regulations, and sanctions on international cooperation in defence industry. In the foreseeable future, it is necessary to research and issue regulations and sanctions on joint ventures and collaboration with foreign partners; imports goods for defence industry as well as export defence industrial products and services; cooperate on an international scale on technology transfer; train and hire foreign experts; carry out military trade and other activities. Developing a system of technical regulations and standards for defence industrial products in line with Vietnamese and international standards.

Secondly, developing an appropriate roadmap for international cooperation in defence industry. This is a sensitive area for international political and security issues, affected by several factors, such as bilateral relationships, the balance of multilateral relations and political reliability, and financial resources for cooperative investment, etc. Therefore, agencies need to periodically advise, propose, and orientate on the proportion of defence cooperation with countries in accordance with military and defence lines, combat plans, and the country’s industrialisation plan. Additionally, it is necessary to take careful steps and propose a suitable cooperation method for each partner and each field based on cooperation policies, investment resources, procurement budget, public investment plans and programmes. Besides, national interests need to be ensured while problems in military trade should be prevented. Sticking to the “Four Nos” defence policy according to Vietnam National Defence White Paper published in 2019; building a defence industry of peace, self-defence, cooperation, and development.

Thirdly, expanding and diversifying cooperation to build and develop the defence industry. Vietnam needs to disseminate international law, actively join international institutions and conventions on arms trade and military trade on the basis of protecting national interests. Respecting bilateral and multilateral cooperation, strengthening cooperative relationship with traditional partners, expanding cooperation with strategic partners with strengths in science and technology. Diversifying forms and channels of cooperation and information exchange to grasp the development trend of modern weapons and technical equipment; selecting suitable partners in technology transfer as well as export of defence industrial products. Continuing to actively integrate and expand cooperation in various fields with traditional partners and new partners with political credibility, such as Russia, India, Japan, Israel, the Netherlands, etc.

Additionally, the Defence Industry needs to focus on mastering technologies in research, design, manufacturing, production, repair, and maintenance of sophisticated weapons and technical equipment while ensuring dual-use defence industrial products. Importance is attached to cooperation with developed countries in receipt and transfer of technology for the production of goods that our Defence Industry is not capable of producing, such as modern army weapons, military ships, underwater weapons, missiles, aerospace weapons, military equipment, technical materials, background technologies, core technologies, etc., contributing to self-reliance in equipment and technical assurance, thus meeting short-term and long-term requirements.

Fourthly, improving the efficiency of international cooperation in training human resources for defence industry construction and development. Importance is attached to cooperation in training and fostering a contingent of managers and leading experts in science and technology capable of coordinating and organising the implementation of major programmes and projects; building teams of technology experts, chief engineers, and general engineers in key fields, such as mechanical engineering, chemicals, new materials, special metallurgy, research and design of strategic weapons, weapons with high integration capability, mobile weapons, etc. in order to gradually manufacture and successfully produce weapons as well as technical equipment, thus meeting modern requirements for the Army. Attention is paid to fostering high-quality human resources in the defence industry and military trade; ensuring the balance and synchronisation between teams of scientific researchers and technical experts involved in the production process, thus creating opportunities for research staff to be more engaged in technology transfer to draw experience, improve capability and professional qualification.

Fifthly, expanding export markets and actively promoting trade for defence industrial and economic products. In the short term, it is necessary to focus on building strategic and branded products meeting market needs; promoting the application of information technology, connecting defence industry enterprises with civilian ones, and deeply participating in the global value chain. Coordinating with ministries, departments, and branches to carry out trade promotion activities, connecting supply - demand for production - consumption. Actively introducing defence industrial products via international defence expos, namely: the 2018 Indodefence and the 2022 Vietnam Defence Expo, and domestic exhibitions, such as Vietship, Viet Bac, etc. to attract and receive the attention and evaluation of international partners and friends.

From international cooperation results, Vietnam’s Defence Industry needs to continue to identify activeness and self-reliance as the centre, implementing the policy of multilateralisation and diversification of cooperation in procurement, production, technical assurance for weapons, technical equipment, and technology transfer. This serves as an important factor for our defence industry to achieve more accomplishments in research, development, production, and manufacturing of new products, thus contributing to the modernisation of the Army and the defence of the Fatherland.

Senior Colonel, Dr. PHAM THANH KHIET, Vice Chairman of the General Department of Defence Industry