How Vietnam’s military-built Viettel became a global tech player

A Vietnamese military-owned company has quietly become one of the most ambitious state-backed technology firms in the world.

Viettel, launched by Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defense in 1989 to build antenna towers, is now the country’s largest telecommunications firm. Its businesses include 5G hardware, surveillance technologies, affordable mobile phones, and even robotics. In 2024, its revenue was $7.2 billion.

Viettel holds 30 U.S. patents and operates subsidiaries in 11…