Vietnam-India: Opening of the United Nations Peacekeeping Exercise 2025

Delegates at the Vietnam-India bilateral exercise on United Nations Peacekeeping 2025.

The opening ceremony was attended by 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 UN 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 Steering Committee for the exercise. 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.

With the theme "Engineering Teams in coordination with relevant components in performing tasks at the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission", VINBAX 2025 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 defense cooperation between Vietnam and India in the field of United Nations peacekeeping within the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

Delegates at the opening ceremony of the VINBAX 2025 exercise.

In his opening speech, Senior Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan emphasized that Vietnam and India have a long-standing traditional relationship of friendship, trust and closeness, which was built and nurtured by two great leaders, President Ho Chi Minh and Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The two countries have always supported and helped each other in the struggles against foreign invaders and for national independence.

The cooperative relationship between the two countries in general and bilateral defense cooperation in particular has been continuously strengthened and developed in recent times, the latest manifestation of which is the Vietnam-India Defense Policy Dialogue 2025, 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, which was a great success.

Senior Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan delivered the opening speech at the VINBAX 2025 exercise.

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, which is of 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 a vivid demonstration of the increasingly substantive and effective development between the two sides, especially when India is the only international partner to date to jointly organize annual field exercises on United Nations peacekeeping with Vietnam.

Indian Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh addresses the opening ceremony.

Senior Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan requested the drill force to strictly comply with regulations, especially those on security and safety, participate with the highest sense of responsibility, and actively contribute to activities within the framework of the drill.

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.

Major General Pham Manh Thang, Director of Vietnam Peacekeeping Department, spoke.

Speaking at the Opening Ceremony, Mr. Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary of Defense of India, affirmed that VINBAX 2025 is a vivid demonstration of the strong development of defense cooperation and strategic trust between the two armies. Through the organization periods, VINBAX has become one of the important pillars in bilateral defense cooperation, demonstrating the common commitment of India and Vietnam to peace, stability and regional cooperation.

Scene of the opening ceremony of VINBAX 2025 exercise.

From the early days of just a tabletop exercise, VINBAX has now developed into a comprehensive, specialized activity, reflecting the 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 armies to train together and learn practical experience in humanitarian and peacekeeping situations. Built according to the standard procedures of the United Nations, 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 between the two countries' peacekeeping forces in South Sudan, Indian Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said that in the coming time, India wishes to expand the scope of VINBAX cooperation in new areas such as force protection and integrated peacekeeping exercises, thereby helping the two countries' military forces to be more ready to face complex challenges in the modern combat environment. India will continue to be a reliable partner of Vietnam in UN peacekeeping operations; at the same time, it is ready to share experiences and capabilities to contribute to further strengthening the defense cooperation between the two countries.

Delegates visited the training ground and the area where forces were deployed to participate in the exercise.

Major General Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department, Head of the Exercise Steering Committee, said that with the participation of nearly 300 personnel, VINBAX 2025 will take place over 18 days, with three main contents:

Training in theory and 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.

Training in specialized skills of Engineers and Military Medicine in performing tasks at the United Nations peacekeeping mission with specific contents: introduction to homemade explosives; reconnaissance work 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, etc.

Integrated live-fire exercise on coordination between military observers, engineers, military doctors, rescuers, and drone operators in carrying out missions at a United Nations peacekeeping mission through handling hypothetical situations.

The two countries' military forces participated in the exercise.

Within the framework of the event, there are also reception activities, sports exchanges, cultural and artistic activities, cultural tours to contribute to enhancing understanding and solidarity, friendship and cohesion among members participating in VINBAX 2025.

NINH CO - THE DAI

Source: https://nhandan.vn/viet-nam-an-do-khai-mac-dien-tap-gin-giu-hoa-binh-lien-hop-quoc-2025-post922265.html