HANOI, October 4. /TASS/. Russia is prepared to provide to Vietnam its cutting-edge weapons and other military hardware, for it faces no external restrictions in this field, Russian export and import giant Rosoboronexport’s delegates told TASS on the sidelines of the international exhibition Defense and Security Expo underway in Hanoi on October 2-4.

Russia’s participation in Defense and Security Expo

Russia agreed to take part in this exhibition on a large scale at Vietnam’s request, although originally this event was absent from Rosobonrexport’s agenda this year, the company said.

"We are present here under the aegis of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation. About two dozen Russian organizations and enterprises are taking part. Their products are in demand among Vietnam’s armed forces and law enforcement agencies, as well as among other countries in Southeast Asia," Rosoboronexport’s spokesperson said, adding that this exhibition was of interest to Russia, because eventually it might acquire inter-regional dimension.

According to the official, the Russian exposition is the largest. The Russian pavilion has been visited by representatives from all of the Vietnamese armed forces’ arms and services, as well as national defense and public security ministers.

A large number of agreements on further Russian-Vietnamese military-technical cooperation was concluded.

"As far as the themes of negotiations with the Vietnamese partners are concerned, it should be noted that in recent months we maintained steady contacts starting from the Army 2019 forum last June. In July, there followed the international naval show in St. Petersburg and at the end of August, the international aerospace show in Zhukovsky. The current exhibition grew out of the contacts we had on those platforms. Some new themes have been brought to the forefront," the Rosoboronexport spokesperson said.

Military-technical cooperation

The interlocutor stressed Vietnam’s status of Russia’s strategic long-standing partner and key recipient of military hardware in Southeast Asia.

"We share long-time friendship and many themes of cooperation. It is common knowledge that a greater share of weapons and military hardware Vietnam’s army uses at the moment is of Soviet and Russian manufacture," the Rosoboronexport spokesperson said. Vietnam currently uses fighter jets, surface ships and submarines provided by Russia. In fact, Vietnam created its own naval force from scratch with Russia’s assistance.

The Rosoboronexport official confirmed that there were no external or internal restrictions on or obstacles to Russia's operation on Vietnam’s market of military equipment.

"After the United States lifted the embargo from the supplies of all weapons to Vietnam we felt a little bit nervous, but on the other hand we welcome this situation, because competition is a reason for us to get more mobilized," the specialist noted. The participation of competitors in such exhibitions allows our Vietnamese friends and partners in the region to see the competitive edges of Russian weapons for themselves.

New products

Russia is ready to share its latest achievements in upgrading military equipment and creating new weapon systems with Vietnamese and other foreign partners, the Russian delegation stated. Russia has new promising products and ideas of interest to Vietnam in all fields, such as the newest planes and helicopters. On the international market Russia offers the newest combat planes: Sukhoi-35, MiG-35 and Yak-130, and helicopters: Mi-38 and upgraded versions of Mi-171.

Russia by no means imposes its arms contracts on Vietnam. "Vietnam looks at the whole world, evaluates the condition of its armed forces and decides for itself what its priorities and needs are," the Rosoboronexport spokesperson pointed out. Russia offers to Vietnam a wide range of the newest military products, such as small arms, aircraft, tactical weapon systems, multiple rocket launchers, tanks (both new and upgraded ones), armored vehicles, frigates, small missile carrying ships and more, which the Vietnamese delegation was able to see at the naval show in St. Petersburg.