Senior Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) on December 8 chaired a rehearsal of the opening ceremony of the Vietnam - India Bilateral Army Exercise (VINBAX) 2023, which is scheduled for December 11 - 21 at National Military Training Centre 4.

Tan also inspected preparations for and had a meeting with the steering committee on the organisation of the exercise on United Nations peacekeeping. 

Colonel Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations (VDPO) under the Ministry of National Defence, said Vietnam and India have closely coordinated for the exercise, adding that all participating forces are ready, as well as a simulation venue and necessary equipment are in place for the field exercise.

The participating forces will carry out exercises that are close to the actual operations and tasks of the engineering team and military medical team, including the deployment of an additional Level-1 field hospital joining United Nations peacekeeping operations, thereby improving professional capabilities and coordination capacity between engineering and military medical forces.

In addition to professional activities, VINBAX 2023 includes reception activities, sports exchanges, cultural and art performances, and tours of cultural establishments, contributing to enhancing understanding, friendship, and connection among the participants.

VINBAX 2023, hosted by Vietnam, is the fourth UN peacekeeping exercise between Vietnam and India and the second field exercise on peacekeeping between the two countries’ militaries.

After nearly 10 years of implementing the project on Vietnam's participation in United Nations peacekeeping activities, Vietnam has sent 786 officers and soldiers to perform tasks at UN peacekeeping missions. They have always promoted their roles and responsibilities in their assigned positions and have been recognised and highly appreciated by the UN and international friends./.VNA