Vietnamese officers and soldiers attending VINBAX 2024 pose for a group photo. VNA/VNS Photo

NEW DELHI – The fifth annual Việt Nam-India Bilateral Army Exercise (VINBAX 2024) wrapped up on November 22 at the Chandi Mandir cantonment in Haryana state of India.

Within the framework of the closing ceremony, India’s Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) members performed rescue activities in the circumstances of earthquake, fire and flooding.

Addressing the event, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Kharga Corps Lt Gen Rajesh Pushkar said that the drill, which commenced on November 4, has further strengthened the shared vision for peace, prosperity and people. He thanked the Vietnamese side for successfully co-organising VINBAX-2024, contributing to the effective enhancement of mutual understanding.

As India and Việt Nam continue to play an important role in the Indo-Pacific region and in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the bilateral relationship is expected to deepen and expand further in the years to come, he added.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Col. Lưu Đình Hiển, Commander of the Training Centre of the Việt Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, said that VINBAX is constantly expanding, from the first exercise in the form of tabletop simulation in 2018 to a field exercise in 2022; from the deployment of medical and technical troops in UN missions to the deployment of air force elements and drones in VINBAX-2024. VNS