Vietnam defies Eurosatory ban and met with Israeli defense companies

Despite France's restrictions on Israeli participation at the Eurosatory defense and security exhibition, senior Vietnamese defense officials demonstrated considerable interest in Israeli companies. Led by Deputy Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang, the delegation focused on Israeli systems, including those that were unable to exhibit due to the ban.

This strong Vietnamese interest aligns with a broader trend of increasing defense exports to the Asia-Pacific region. Data from Israel's Ministry of Defense shows that Asia-Pacific's share of total defense exports rose from 23% to 32% in 2025, a period when overall defense exports peaked at $19.2 billion.

Cooperation between Israel and Vietnam has intensified, particularly in supplying explosives and industrial products for defense manufacturing. This is partly a response to increasing embargoes from Western countries. An example of this deepening partnership is the recent exclusivity agreement between Israeli company 4Model and Vietnam's Dong Nam for advanced manufacturing solutions.

Vietnam is also a direct defense customer for Israel. Deals include tank upgrades by Elbit and sales of Spike missiles by Rafael. Notably, in February, Vietnam agreed to purchase approximately $250 million worth of Rafael's Firefly loitering munitions, with plans to manufacture them in a Vietnamese factory. This collaboration is facilitated by Vietnam's adherence to Western quality standards, partly due to its existing defense ties with the United States.