The 3rd Edition of Vietnam India Bilateral Army Exercise “Ex VINBAX 2022” is scheduled to take place at Chandimandir, Haryana State, India on Aug 1-21, 2022. 

Participants at 3rd Edition of Vietnam India Bilateral Army Exercise “Ex VINBAX 2022” held in Haryana State, India on August 1. Photos: VOV

The exercise is a sequel to the bilateral exercise previously conducted in Vietnam in 2019 marking the participation of 90 officers on both sides, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

The theme of Ex VINBAX 2022 is the employment and deployment of an Engineer Company and a Medical Team as part of the United Nations Contingent for Peace Keeping Operations that India offers to its partners at tactical, operational and strategic levels.

The opening ceremony held on August 1 was attended by Lieutenant General Prateek Sharma, Commander of the II Corps of India's Western Command, and Vietnamese Ambassador to India Pham Sanh Chau.    

Vietnamese Ambassador to India Pham Sanh Chau attends the launching ceremony of Ex VINBAX 2022 on August 1.

Addressing the launching ceremony, Ambassador Chau said the exercise is a remarkable event among a series of activities taking place in commemorating the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between Vietnam and India in 2022.

Ex VINBAX 2022 as a field training exercise with enhanced scope from previous editions of bilateral exercises will strengthen mutual confidence and inter-operability and enable sharing of best practices between the Indian Army and Vietnam People’s Army. 

The joint exercise will also provide the troops from both contingents with the opportunity to learn about social and cultural heritage of each other. Indian Army is being represented by troops from the 105 Engineer Regiment.

The Validation Exercise is part of the schedule to assess the standards achieved by both contingents while executing technical military operations under similar scenarios in UN missions. A Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief demonstration and equipment display will showcase India’s capacity to undertake rescue and relief operations during natural and manmade disasters utilizing indigenous solutions.

Ex VINBAX 2022 is a major milestone in strengthening the bilateral relations between Vietnam and India. Bilateral defense engagements have expanded over a period of time to include wide-ranging contacts between the two countries, including Defense Policy Dialogue, military-to-military exchange, high-level visits, capacity building and training programs.

The two countries have also cooperated in UN peacekeeping, ship visits and bilateral exercises.

Indian and Vietnamese officers at the launching ceremony.