New Delhi: A contingent of 45 personnel from the Indian Armed Forces has landed in Hanoi, Vietnam, marking the commencement of the fourth edition of the Joint Military Exercise VINBAX-2023. The exercise, scheduled from 11th to 21st December 2023, will witness active participation from both sides, fostering collaboration and inter-operability.
According to the PIB release, The Indian contingent, led by 39 personnel from the Bengal Engineer Group’s Engineer Regiment and six from the Army Medical Corps, aims to strengthen the ties between the armed forces of both nations. Similarly, the Vietnam People’s Army contingent will also consist of 45 personnel.
Initiated in 2018, VINBAX is an annual training event conducted alternately in India and Vietnam. The previous edition took place at Chandimandir Military Station in August 2022.
The primary objective of the exercise is to enhance collaborative partnership, promote inter-operability, and share best practices, aligning with Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter on Peace Keeping Operations. The exercise will adopt a dual format, combining a Command Post Exercise and a Field Training Exercise, focusing on the deployment and utilization of an Engineer Company and a Medical Team, as per the press statement.
During the joint exercise, both contingents will engage in the exchange of ideas, jointly rehearsing tactics, techniques, and procedures. Special attention will be given to modern methods of constructing critical infrastructure, including roads, culverts, helipads, ammunition shelters, and observation posts in operational areas. Additionally, rehearsals will be conducted for combat engineering and combat medical tasks, it added.
The culmination of the exercise will feature a Validation Exercise, showcasing the standards achieved by both contingents. Technical military operations will be executed in line with scenarios mirroring the global deployment of United Nations’ contingents.
The joint military exercise is expected to significantly contribute to the promotion of understanding, interoperability, and strengthened defense cooperation between the friendly armies of India and Vietnam.
