NEW DELHI: In its bid to bolster military ties, Indian Army soldiers are scheduled to hold exercises with the Army personnel of Oman and Vietnam, the two countries which are strategically significant for India.
As per the Indian Army 4th edition of the exercise AL Najah with the Royal Army of Oman will be held at the foreign training node of Mahajan Field Firing ranges (Rajasthan) from 1 to 13 August in which 60 personnel from Sultan of Oman Parachute Regiment will hold exercise with Indian troops from 18 Mechanised Infantry Battalion.
The Indian Army on Sunday said, “The scope of the exercise includes professional interaction, mutual understanding of drills & procedures, the establishment of joint command & control structures and elimination of terrorist threats. The joint exercise would focus on Counter Terrorism Operations, Regional Security Operations and Peace Keeping Operations under United Nations charter apart from organising joint physical training schedules, tactical drills, techniques and procedures.”
The exercise aims to enhance defence cooperation and will further manifest in enhancing bilateral relations, added the Indian Army.
These exercises with the two countries will add to the existing strong defence ties.
The Sultanate of Oman is a strategic partner of India in the Gulf and an important interlocutor at the Gulf Cooperation Council (AGCC), the Arab League, and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) fora.
India-Oman Defence cooperation has emerged as a key pillar of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
The other exercise is with Vietnam which “is an important partner in India’s Act East policy and Indo-Pacific policy", the Army said.
The 3rd edition of Vietnam-India bilateral army exercise "Vinbax 2022” at Chandimandir will be held from 1 to 20 August.
A 45-member Vietnam People’s Army Contingent comprising Medical and Combat Engineers are scheduled to exercise with Indian Army troops of the 105 Engineer Regiment.
As per sources, “The theme this year is deployment and employment of an engineering company and a medical team as part of UN Contingent for peacekeeping operations”.
The exercise is a sequel to a previously conducted bilateral exercise in Vietnam in 2019 and will be a major milestone in strengthening bilateral relations, the sources added.
In June, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Vietnam's Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang in Hanoi had signed the Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030’, which will significantly enhance the scope and scale of existing defence cooperation. A Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Logistics Support was also inked in the presence of both the Ministers.
The continuous military exercise between the three nations has developed trust and has brought maturity to the relations, the Army said.
Oman provides operational support to the Indian Navy for anti-piracy missions in the Arabian Sea. India had access to the Duqm port in Oman,which strenghtened India’s capability and maritime strategy in the Indian Ocean Region.