The diplomatic relations between the USSR and Vietnam date back to January 30, 1950. The modern contractual and legal base numbers more than 80 interstate treaties, government-to-government agreements and protocols that have been signed since 1991. The backbone document is the Treaty on the Foundation of Friendly Relations between Russia and Vietnam that replaced in April 11, 1995 the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation of 1978. New references for cooperation were outlined in the Declaration of Strategic Partnership between Russia and Vietnam signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin's official visit to Vietnam on February 28, 2001. During the July 2012 official visit of President Truong Tan Sang of Vietnam to Moscow, it was decided to upgrade relations between the two countries to strategic partnership.

Russian-Vietnamese ties are projected across multiple levels, including the Parliaments and parties, let alone close contacts between ministries, agencies and regions. Directing mutual trade and investment is the Russian-Vietnamese Intergovernmental Committee for Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.

Military and technical cooperation between Russia and Vietnam has logged more than 50 years. Its nature became commercial in 1992, although before that the Soviet Union had mostly provided assistance free.

Russia and Vietnam run an Intergovernmental Committee on Military and Technical Cooperation. Established in 1998, the Committee has been working ever since.

President Nguyen Minh Triet’s visit to Moscow in October 2008 gave birth to an Intergovernmental Memorandum of Military and Technical Cooperation through 2020.

The scope of cooperation with Vietnam encompasses all types of military equipment and weapons. Having mounted a sweeping modernization initiative in the Navy, Vietnam became one of the largest customers for Russian naval equipment.

Since the mid-1990s Russia has been implementing large-scale projects for supply of military aviation equipment, particularly Su-30MK2 fighters and aviation weapons, to Vietnam.

Apart from that, Russia performed its obligations under contracts for supply of AD systems in 2003-2010.

Vietnam hosts a representative office of Rostec, Russia’s state corporation, that also projects Rosoboronexport’s interests in the country. Telephone number of the office: (+84) 903-48-53-68, fax: (+844) 383-34-886, e-mail: rep4312@rostec.ru