VINBAX 2023 joint military exercise concludes
The VINBAX-2023 military exercise will conclude today in Vietnam.
The fourth Vietnam-India Bilateral Army Exercise (VINBAX) commenced on December 11 and brought 45 military personnel from the Indian Armed Forces to Hanoi. The exercise aims to increase cooperation and promote interoperability between the two militaries.
VINBAX-2023 underscores Indo-Vietnamese foreign policy alignment against the PRC’s South China Sea claims. For Vietnam, India’s larger and more advanced military offers technical and operational knowledge that can benefit Hanoi’s defense capabilities.
India views Vietnam as a natural ally against PRC territorial aggression, a challenge it also confronts along its own border. 2023 saw their interests strengthen, as Vietnam granted India a three-year extension on oil exploration rights in maritime waters the PRC also claims and India gifted Vietnam the INS Kirpan, an active-duty missile corvette—India’s first such military gift to Vietnam.
Anticipate sustained alignment and deepening ties between India and Vietnam in the near and medium-terms. In the face of heightened aggression in the South China Sea in 2024, India may consider providing Vietnam with more advanced weaponry. Alternatively, India could explore promoting collaborative efforts with both Vietnam and the US in tandem to foster a united front for regional security.
