Malaysia and Vietnam reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen their defence partnership during Malaysian Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin’s official visit to Vietnam from August 4 to 6, 2026. The discussions focused on expanding cooperation in maritime security, capability development, artificial intelligence, intelligence sharing, submarine rescue, and the defence industry [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
Khaled Nordin met Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng and Defence Minister General Phan Văn Giang to review ongoing cooperation and address emerging threats such as grey zone activities. He said, “Both countries also share similar strategic views and uphold ASEAN principles, with dialogue and diplomacy serving as the foundation for maintaining regional peace and stability” [1, 4].
Malaysia regards Vietnam as a trusted and reliable defence partner and highlighted the importance of ASEAN unity, strategic autonomy, and centrality. Khaled Nordin proposed strengthening cooperation by establishing a High-Level Committee to better coordinate initiatives. He said, “I also proposed that the cooperation mechanism be further strengthened through the High-Level Committee to ensure every initiative can be coordinated and implemented more effectively” [4, 5].
The 2023 Memorandum of Understanding signed on November 4, 2023, continues to serve as the roadmap for advancing the strategic defence partnership. Both countries reaffirmed commitment to multilateral ASEAN defense frameworks such as the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting and ADMM-Plus to maintain peace and stability in the region [4, 5].
Regarding the South China Sea and regional strategic developments, Malaysia emphasized peace through dialogue, diplomacy, international law, and support for the Code of Conduct (COC) [4, 5].
On August 7, 2026, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced plans to increase Malaysia’s defence budget in 2027 to improve armed forces’ readiness and welfare. He stated, “Defence readiness must be maintained at all times because conflicts do not occur when expected. We cannot wait for another country to declare war before we begin preparing” [6].
Malaysia’s Defence Ministry allocation has increased by more than 35% over the past three years. The 2027 budget, to be tabled in Dewan Rakyat on October 9, includes funding for upgraded living quarters, a new military hospital, maintenance of basic facilities such as mosques, and transparent procurement [6].
