Vietnam-India bilateral exercise on UN peacekeeping 2025

On the morning of November 11, in Hanoi, the opening ceremony of the Vietnam-India Bilateral Exercise on United Nations Peacekeeping 2025 (VINBAX 2025) jointly organized by the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense and the Indian Ministry of Defense took place at the National Military Training Center 4.

Attending the opening ceremony were Senior Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, Deputy Head of the Ministry of National Defense's Steering Committee on participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations; Mr. Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary of Defense of India; Major General Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department, Head of the Exercise Steering Committee.

Also attending were leaders and commanders of agencies and units of the Ministry of National Defense; officials of the Embassy and Defense Attaché of India in Vietnam.

VINBAX 2025, with the theme "Engineering Teams in coordination with relevant components in performing tasks at United Nations Peacekeeping Missions," aims to improve the professional capacity, coordination and field exercise organization of Engineering, Medical and Rescue forces in preparation for deployment to participate in United Nations peacekeeping operations; at the same time, contributing to strengthening the good defense cooperation relationship between Vietnam and India in the field of United Nations peacekeeping within the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

In his opening speech, Senior Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan expressed his joy at witnessing the cooperation relationship between the two countries in general and bilateral defense cooperation in particular being continuously strengthened and developed, most recently demonstrated by the successful organization of the Vietnam-India Defense Policy Dialogue 2025 by the two Defense Ministries, co-chaired by Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, Deputy Minister of Defense of Vietnam, and Mr. Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary of Defense of India.

Following the success of VINBAX 2024 in India, VINBAX 2025 is the fourth bilateral field exercise on United Nations peacekeeping between the two countries' armies, with important and practical significance, contributing to strengthening friendship, solidarity, and promoting good defense cooperation between Vietnam and India within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

The annual VINBAX exercise is the most vivid proof of the increasingly practical and effective development between the two sides, especially when India is the only international partner to date to organize annual field exercises with Vietnam on United Nations peacekeeping.

To organize the Exercise successfully, meeting the set goals and requirements, Senior Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan requested all exercise forces to strictly comply with regulations, especially regulations on security and safety, participate with the highest sense of responsibility, and actively contribute to activities within the framework of the Exercise.

On this occasion, on behalf of the leadership of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense, Senior Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan thanked the Indian Ministry of National Defense for its active support and assistance to Vietnam in its participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations in recent times as well as its close coordination with the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense to organize VINBAX 2025.

Affirming that this activity is one of the vivid symbolic evidences for the strong development of defense cooperation and strategic trust between the two armies, Mr. Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary of Defense of India, emphasized that through the organization, VINBAX has become one of the important pillars in bilateral defense cooperation, demonstrating the common commitment of India and Vietnam to peace, stability and cooperation in the region.

From the early days of just tabletop exercises, VINBAX has now developed into a comprehensive, specialized activity, reflecting deep understanding and mutual respect between the two armies.

The Indian Defense Secretary said that this year's exercise is an opportunity for the two countries' military forces to train together and learn practical experience in humanitarian and peacekeeping situations.

Built according to the United Nations' standard procedures, the exercise focuses on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities, thereby contributing to demonstrating the spirit of peace and humanity - the common values of India and Vietnam on the journey of peacekeeping.

Proud of the close coordination in South Sudan between the two countries' peacekeeping forces, Indian Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said that in the coming time, India wishes to expand the scope of VINBAX cooperation in new areas, thereby helping the two countries' military forces to be more ready to face complex challenges in the modern combat environment.

Mr. Rajesh Kumar Singh affirmed that India will continue to be a reliable partner of Vietnam in UN peacekeeping operations; at the same time, it is ready to share experience and capacity to contribute to further strengthening defense cooperation between the two countries.

According to Major General Pham Manh Thang, Head of the Exercise Steering Committee, with the participation of nearly 300 personnel, VINBAX 2025 takes place in 18 days (from November 11-27), with the program content consisting of 3 main parts:

Firstly, theoretical training on basic knowledge of United Nations peacekeeping operations, contributions of Vietnam and India to United Nations peacekeeping operations, professional knowledge and tasks of the Engineering Team and Military Medical Unit participating in United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Second, fostering the practice of specialized skills of Engineers and Military Medicine in performing tasks at the United Nations peacekeeping mission with specific contents such as: introduction to homemade explosives; reconnaissance of the Engineer Division; construction and maintenance of roads, construction of helicopter landing pads, ammunition depots, watchtowers, walls, and base protection fences; classification of patients in mass casualty situations, advanced trauma emergency care, practice of first aid, emergency care and transfer of injured, humanitarian assistance in air medical transport, operation of unmanned aerial vehicles...

Third, an integrated drill on coordination between military observers, engineers, military doctors, search and rescue, and drone operators in carrying out missions at a United Nations peacekeeping mission through handling hypothetical situations.

In addition to the focus on professional activities, within the framework of VINBAX 2025, there are also reception, exchange, sports, cultural and artistic activities, and cultural tours to contribute to enhancing understanding and solidarity, friendship and cohesion among participating members./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/dien-tap-song-phuong-viet-nam-an-do-ve-gin-giu-hoa-binh-lien-hop-quoc-2025-post1076242.vnp