Amid Doklam standoff, India's BrahMos supply to Vietnam irks China
India and China are locked in a tense border standoff in Doklam since mid-June; experts say they are "dangerously close" to their worst military conflict. Worsening the situation, Vietnam has confirmed it purchased BrahMos anti-ship cruise missiles, co-developed by India and Russia. China sees Vietnam's acquisition of BrahMos as a defiance move to strengthen its claim over the disputed South China Sea.
Indo-Russian joint venture under a 1998 agreement
BrahMos is a ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from ships, submarine, aircraft, or land. It is a joint-venture between India's Defence Research and Development Organization and Russia's NPO Mashinostrieyenia. With advanced capabilities, BrahMos flies at three times the speed of sound and strikes enemies over 300km away. It can carry warheads weighing up to 300kg and avoid interception by surface-to-air missiles.
China's reservations against India's weapon supply policies
In May'16, India and Russia reportedly agreed to export the BrahMos missiles to some countries, including Vietnam; they also decided on a list of countries barred from exports. BrahMos Aerospace spokesman Praveen Pathak at the time said talks with those countries were in advanced stages. China expressed concerns over the weapon supply to Vietnam, with which it's locked in the South China Sea conflict.
Security cooperation between India, Vietnam
Vietnam reportedly tops India's list of countries to which it wants sell BrahMos and boost revenues; the deal was being discussed for many years. India previously supplied patrol vessels to Vietnam and provided training to its submarine crews and pilots. India is in talks with Vietnam about supplying its indigenous Akash missiles. Recently, reports surfaced that Vietnam's government confirmed the finalization of BrahMos deal.
Doklam: A territory in the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction area
Both Bhutan and China claim Doklam, but India supports its close ally, Bhutan's claims. Since 16 June, Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged in a tense standoff along the LAC, prompted by China's move to construct a road in Doklam.
Vietnam's provocative claims in the tense atmosphere
Vietnamese reports suggested that India has started supplying BrahMos missiles to the country in a long-pending deal. Media outlets in Vietnam reportedly said that the first batch of the "supersonic anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles" may have arrived days ago. However, Indian Defense Ministry sources reportedly rejected the reports and denied selling the missiles to Vietnam, one of China's arch-rivals.
Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang's statement
Hang said, "The procurement of defense equipment by Vietnam is consistent with the policy of peace and self-defense and is the normal practice in national defense." She added the India-Vietnam partnership is "making a practical contribution to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region."
India's BrahMos deal with Vietnam will have negative impact: China
The Doklam standoff indicates a growing "geopolitical contest" between India and China. As China is exerting pressure over Vietnam in the South China Sea dispute and dominating Asian affairs, India is being viewed as China's counterbalance in the region. About India's BrahMos deal with Vietnam, China earlier said deployment of the missiles by Vietnam would increase the "competition and antagonism" in the Sino-Indian relations.
