VINBAX-2023

Blog Credit: Trupti Thakur

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VINBAX Exercise-2023

VINBAX is the joint military exercise between the military of India and Vietnam. VINBAX incredibly resulted in the strong defence ties between India-Vietnam and the first-ever defence ties that were conducted between the two nations. The VINBAX exercise is conducted at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. The exercise’s key motive is to train and prepare the officers of Vietnam for the peacekeeping operations of the United Nations.

A contingent of 45 Indian Armed Forces personnel has arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam, to participate in the fourth edition of the Joint Military Exercise VINBAX-2023. Running from December 11th to 21st, the exercise aims to strengthen collaborative partnerships, promote interoperability, and share best practices between India and Vietnam.

India and Vietnam armies exercise that is commonly called VINBAX were recently conducted in 2018 at Jabalpur, the region belongs to Madhya Pradesh. It is considered a vital step taken by India-Vietnam defence and security cooperation and also the first of a kind military exercise among the two nations. This is generally a six-day-long military collaboration and was organised as joint training started with approachable foreign nations to the Indian Army. India-Vietnam Defence and security cooperation is leading to the ‘comprehensive strategic partnership’ between the two nations.

This widespread collaboration comprises direct government-to-government negotiations, joint agreements, maritime cooperation, multilateral cooperation, defence lines of credit, prospective defence procurements, maritime cooperation, and multilateral cooperation.

 Indian Contingent

The Indian contingent comprises 39 personnel from a Bengal Engineer Group Engineer Regiment and six personnel from the Army Medical Corps. This collaborative effort with the Vietnam People’s Army involves 45 personnel from each side.

Background of VINBAX

The VINBAX exercise was inaugurated in 2018, with the first edition held in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. This annual training event alternates between India and Vietnam, fostering mutual understanding and cooperation between the armed forces of both nations.

 Objectives of the Exercise

The exercise, conducted as a Command Post Exercise cum Field Training Exercise, focuses on the deployment and employment of an Engineer Company and a Medical Team. It aims to exchange ideas on modern construction methods for roads, culverts, helipads, ammunition shelters, and observation posts in operational areas.

 Key Training Activities

The participating contingents will jointly rehearse tactics, techniques, and procedures related to combat engineering and combat medical tasks. Additionally, the exercise will include technical military operations scenarios, simulating the worldwide deployment of United Nations contingents.

 Validation Exercise

The exercise will culminate in a Validation Exercise, where both contingents will showcase the standards attained during the training. This joint effort is expected to enhance understanding, interoperability, and defense cooperation between the armed forces of India and Vietnam.

India–Vietnam Armies and Relations

·    Defence Relations:

India and Vietnam armies agreed and signed decorum on defence collaboration in 1994. The corporation was after that raised to the strategic parameter in 2007.

India and Vietnam’s armies were ready for the betterment of joint defence cooperation and were retained in 2009. The strategic corporation was raised to a Complete Strategic Corporation in September 2016.

·    Economic Relations:

India has assured many times that it will ensure its oil and gas investigation tie-ups with Vietnam through the Vietnamese waters. Vietnam is the second major export endpoint for India.

·    India’s Assistance:

India has confirmed its advance and capability building help to Vietnam over initiatives such as ITEC (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation), QIP (Quick Impact Projects), e-ITEC advantages, Ph.D. fellowships, projects in water supply, and resource management in Vietnam’s region known as Mekong Delta, and SDGs.

·   Tourism and People-to-People Contacts:

2019 was notable as it was celebrated as the year of tourism for ASEAN-India. Both

nations have allowed an easy visa administration to encourage joint tourism.

The Indian Embassy has also planned numerous occasions to celebrate and rejoice, such as Mahatma@150 in 2018-19.

India–Vietnam Defence and Security Cooperation

For the first in a while, India and Vietnam armies have signed a six-day military training and exercise in the region of Madhya Pradesh named Jabalpur, replicating rising defence ties among the two nations. It is a one-of-a-kind military alliance and exercises among both nations. Furthermore, a senior military official announced that the exercise is named the ‘VINBAX’ exercise and will be active for the duration of six days.

India and Vietnam have been discovering methods to reinforce defence collaboration. The concern of strengthening defence and security collaboration has been figured out conspicuously during the joint talks between the Indian officials and their Vietnamese counterparts. Defence bonds between India and Vietnam are continuously rising, with the major focus being collaboration in the oceanic domain also.

Key Points

• India and Vietnam discovered methods to reinforce defence collaboration.
• The implementation of the exercise follows the visit of Vietnam’s Prime Minister to India recently to contribute to the India- ASEAN Honouring summit and join India’s Republic Day festivities and celebration.
• The matter of strengthening security and defence collaboration was discussed conveniently during the joint talks between The Indian Prime Minister and the Vietnam PM.
• India and Vietnam had contracted decorum on defence collaboration in 1994.
• The collaboration was later promoted to a strategic level in the year 2007, and the two countries agreed to the treaty on enhancing mutual defence collaboration in 2009.
• The calculated corporation was later raised to be a comprehensive

strategic corporation in 2016.

Conclusion

This article concluded the army relations between the two well-known countries, India and Vietnam; VINBAX exercises the first-ever India and Vietnam armies alliance, which is held in the Jabalpur region of Madhya Pradesh and is a 6-day military exercise to train officers for the United Nations peacekeeping project.

 

 

Blog By: Trupti Thakur