Despite China assertiveness, India has actively participated in the South China Sea (SCS), particularly by expanding its naval presence and building relationships with Vietnam. This essay analyses the pertinent incentives for India participation in the SCS before looking at the development of three areas of bilateral cooperation between India and Vietnam: defence, economy, and diplomacy. Given their shared concerns over China escalating maritime coercion, the cooperative initiatives become strategically important in that they help deepen India-Vietnam relations.