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Australia and Vietnam are broadening their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with a suite of new agreements spanning defence, maritime security, resilient supply chains, critical minerals, digital technology, education and trade.
Australia and Vietnam have agreed to deepen cooperation across defence, security, trade, investment, critical technologies and supply-chain resilience, marking a significant expansion of the bilateral relationship as both countries respond to an increasingly uncertain strategic environment.
The agreements were announced during the visit of Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm to Australia, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and State President Tô Lâm reaffirming their commitment to further strengthen the countries’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The breadth of the agreements reflects a relationship increasingly extending beyond traditional diplomatic and economic engagement into areas directly linked to national security and strategic resilience.
Two-way trade between Australia and Vietnam has doubled since 2020, reaching a record $30 billion last year, according to the Australian government.
The two governments have now agreed to strengthen economic resilience cooperation, including greater collaboration on diversified and secure supply chains covering critical minerals, semiconductors and clean energy.
The agreement also provides for the two countries to share information on economic resilience contingencies, foreign investment screening and relevant policy responses.
Australia and Vietnam will also explore opportunities to deepen cooperation in critical and emerging technologies, research security and the management of technology-related risks.
Digital infrastructure has emerged as another area of strategic cooperation, with both countries supporting safe, secure and trusted digital ecosystems across the Indo-Pacific, including artificial intelligence, telecommunications, undersea cables and data centres.
The economic agenda is being accompanied by a substantial expansion of defence and security cooperation.
Australia and Vietnam have welcomed an updated Joint Vision Statement on Further Defence Cooperation, covering defence dialogue, personnel training, inter-service cooperation, information sharing, military medicine, peacekeeping, maritime security, search and rescue and counter-terrorism.
The two countries will also continue multinational operational engagement, building on Vietnam’s participation in Exercise Kakadu in 2024 and 2026 and its observation of Exercise Talisman Sabre in 2025.
Maritime security is a particular focus, with Australia and Vietnam progressing a Maritime Law Enforcement Agreement and a Cooperation and Mutual Assistance Agreement intended to strengthen operational capabilities between relevant agencies.
The two governments also reaffirmed the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight and peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea in accordance with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles detailed the growing importance of the relationship, saying, “Vietnam is an important defence partner for Australia, and we are committed to deepening cooperation in ways that directly contribute to the stability and security of our region.”
The economic and defence initiatives are being reinforced by closer cooperation in critical supply chains.
Australia and Vietnam have identified critical minerals, semiconductors and clean energy as priority areas for more diversified and resilient supply chains, while Australia has provided $1.3 billion in Export Finance Australia financing for infrastructure development and exports to Vietnam since 2017.
Australia’s blended finance portfolio is also increasingly focused on Vietnam, with the country receiving more than a third or $83 million of Australia’s financing.
Agriculture remains an important component of the relationship, with the two countries signing a new memorandum of understanding covering agriculture and sustainable development.
Australia has also secured the recommencement of market access for Australian game meat, including kangaroo and deer meat, with trade expected to resume during 2026.
The partnership is also expanding into education, research and skills development.
A new agreement on vocational education and training will support Australian providers delivering industry-focused training in Vietnam, while Vietnam has approved an investment licence allowing RMIT University to establish a new campus in Hanoi.
People-to-people links are set to receive another boost through the expansion of direct air services.
Vietjet will commence direct flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Western Sydney International Airport from January 2027, initially operating twice a week before increasing to three services per week from March.
The new route is expected to strengthen tourism, business and education links between Australia and Vietnam while improving connectivity with Western Sydney.
The two governments are also expanding cooperation in science, research and innovation, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence, semiconductors, digital technologies, cyber security, green technology and other emerging technologies.
Prime Minister Albanese said the breadth of the new agreements reflected the growing importance of the bilateral relationship, saying, “Vietnam is one of Australia’s closest partners in our region and our relationship continues to go from strength to strength.
“Today’s agreements will make it easier to do business, create new opportunities for trade and investment, strengthen education and research links and bring our countries even closer together.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said stronger economic links would also contribute to regional resilience: “Our economic partnership with Vietnam contributes not only to the prosperity of our two countries but to a stronger and more resilient region.”
For Australia, the relationship with Vietnam is increasingly becoming an important component of its broader south-east Asian engagement.
The combination of defence cooperation, maritime security, resilient supply chains, critical minerals, advanced technology and economic engagement provides both countries with mechanisms to strengthen their national resilience while supporting a stable and open Indo-Pacific.
The latest agreements therefore represent a significant evolution of the Australia–Vietnam relationship, linking economic security more closely with traditional defence and diplomatic cooperation.
As strategic competition intensifies across the Indo-Pacific, Canberra and Hanoi are positioning their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as a platform for cooperation across the economic, technological and security domains.
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