HANOI — On the morning of 11 November, at the National Military Training Center 4 (Mieu Mon, Hanoi), the Viet Nam Ministry of National Defense, in coordination with the Indian Ministry of Defence, held the opening ceremony of the 2025 Viet Nam–India Bilateral Exercise on United Nations Peacekeeping (VINBAX 2025). Attending the event were Senior Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People’s Army; Mr. Rajesh Kumar Singh, Defence Secretary of India; and Major General Pham Manh Thang, Director General of the Viet Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations.
In his remarks, Senior Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan underlined that VINBAX 2025 marks the fourth field iteration of the two militaries’ UN peacekeeping exercise, playing an important role in consolidating friendship, strengthening solidarity, and deepening Viet Nam–India defence cooperation. He requested all participating forces to strictly observe regulations, ensure security and safety, and take part with the highest sense of responsibility. India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh affirmed that VINBAX has become a key pillar of bilateral defence ties, reflecting growing strategic trust and the shift from tabletop to comprehensive, in-the-field professional activities; he reiterated that India will continue to be a reliable partner of Viet Nam in UN peacekeeping.
Running from 11 to 27 November, VINBAX 2025 brings together over 300 personnel from both sides, including engineer, medical, peacekeeping, and military observer elements. The program features classroom sessions on UN peacekeeping operations and the contributions of Viet Nam and India; hands-on training in specialized engineer and medical skills; and large-scale integrated field drills. According to Major General Pham Manh Thang, a realistic training area has been jointly prepared with stringent safety measures, and the forces are “fully ready for the field phase.”
One day earlier in Hanoi, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, Viet Nam’s Deputy Minister of National Defense, and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh co-chaired the 15th Viet Nam–India Defence Policy Dialogue. The two sides exchanged views on international and regional developments; reaffirmed Viet Nam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, including the “four no’s” defence policy; and emphasized settlement of South China Sea issues by peaceful means in line with international law. Bilateral defence cooperation has advanced across multiple areas—delegation exchanges, dialogue and consultation mechanisms, young officer exchanges, training and education, service-to-service cooperation, UN peacekeeping, and defence industry. Looking ahead, the two sides agreed to boost high-level exchanges; maintain regular dialogue mechanisms; expand training and exercises; step up defence industry collaboration; and explore potential areas such as cybersecurity, military medicine, and search and rescue. Viet Nam invited India’s Ministry of Defence and Indian enterprises to attend the 3rd Viet Nam International Defence Expo scheduled for late 2026.
VINBAX is now an annual bilateral exercise, held six times to date, including four field editions. India remains the only international partner to conduct an annual field UN peacekeeping exercise with Viet Nam—underscoring the depth of cooperation and strength of strategic trust between the two militaries.
Related Post