Successfully fulfilling the basic goal of building a “lean, streamlined, and strong” military
2025 was a pivotal year in the process of restructuring and modernising the military towards being “lean, streamlined, and strong”, with synchronised and resolute measures, achieving many results and creating an important foundation for further strengthening combat power.
The military successfully fulfilled the basic goal of building a “lean, streamlined, and strong” force in line with Politburo Resolution No. 05-NQ/TW dated January 17, 2022 (13th tenure). Training and education saw numerous innovations. Efforts to promote the application of science and technology, digital transformation, and the development of the defence industry made breakthrough progress and recorded achievements.
Party building within the military continued to be prioritised; discipline and order were strictly maintained; and the confidence, will, and sense of responsibility of officers and soldiers were further consolidated.
The events of the 2024 Viet Nam International Defence Expo, the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (A50), and the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution’s success and National Day on September 2 (A80) provided opportunities to present the strength, organisational capacity, and degree of modernisation of the Viet Nam People’s Army in a focused and systematic manner. International military and defence observers highly appreciated how Viet Nam harmoniously combines tradition and modernity, and integrates military strength with a message of peace, self-defence, and cooperation, while demonstrating a confident, transparent, and responsible Viet Nam in the regional security environment.
Proactive adaptation, substantive expansion of defence diplomacy
Defence diplomacy has become an important pillar — a “mainstay” of comprehensive diplomacy — helping maintain a peaceful and stable environment so as to build and defend the Fatherland early and from afar.
High-level defence diplomatic activities were carried out proactively, substantively and effectively. At the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue (Singapore) on May 31, 2025, with the theme “Ensuring Stability in a Competitive World”, General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defence, affirmed that Viet Nam consistently maintains the basic principles of an independent and self-reliant foreign policy and its “four no’s” defence policy; is a friend, a trustworthy partner, and a responsible member of the international community; and actively deepens international integration while contributing ever more effectively to the global political landscape, the world economy, and human civilisation.
This viewpoint was reaffirmed across all bilateral and multilateral engagements and dialogues between Viet Nam’s defence leaders and defence partners around the world.
2025 also marked Viet Nam’s imprint through events such as the successful organisation of the 9th Viet Nam–China Border Defence Friendship Exchange and the 2nd Viet Nam–Cambodia Border Defence Friendship Exchange; hosting and working with international delegations; and signing and effectively implementing defence cooperation with partners.
2025 also marked Viet Nam’s imprint through events such as the successful organisation of the 9th Viet Nam–China Border Defence Friendship Exchange and the 2nd Viet Nam–Cambodia Border Defence Friendship Exchange; hosting and working with international delegations; and signing and effectively implementing defence cooperation with partners.
We have maintained and expanded mechanisms for annual defence dialogues and consultations, thereby improving coordination effectiveness and flexibly addressing traditional and non-traditional security issues; participating in many multilateral exercises on search and rescue, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), maritime safety and security, and more. The 2025 Viet Nam–India bilateral exercise on United Nations peacekeeping (VINBAX 2025) gained strong success, with important and practical significance.
Viet Nam’s participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations continued to expand. We have deployed nearly 1,100 personnel to missions, including field hospitals, an engineering unit, and individual positions at both mission level and at the United Nations Headquarters.
The achievements in defence diplomacy in 2025 are the result of the correct leadership and direction of the Party, the state, the Central Military Commission, and the Ministry of National Defence, as well as the close coordination between defence diplomacy and Party external affairs, state diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy. These results contribute to firmly safeguarding independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and creating an important foundation for Viet Nam to deepen international integration more proactively and effectively in the new period.
A steadfast pillar for the people
As a force always ready for combat, but also a working force — born of the people and fighting for the people — the military mobilised over 1 million deployments of troops and militia and self-defence forces, along with more than 24,300 deployments of boats and vessels, helicopters, UAVs, and various means and facilities to prevent, respond to, and mitigate the consequences in areas hit by natural disasters, storms, floods, inundation, and landslides; as well as to conduct search and rescue and provide emergency assistance to fishermen and forces operating at sea, on islands, and in remote and isolated areas.
In flood-hit hotspots across the South Central and Central Highlands regions, Military Region 5 mobilised more than 5,627 officers and soldiers, along with 254 vehicles and other assets, to join “Quang Trung Campaign” launched by the government — helping communities recover from flooding, rebuild homes, and support livelihoods, with the determination to hand over safe housing before Lunar New Year 2026.
Beyond addressing immediate needs, the military also coordinated with local authorities to restore essential infrastructure, clear mud and debris, and repair homes, schools, and medical facilities, thereby helping to rapidly stabilise people’s lives.
In 2026 and the years ahead, the military will continue to build on these achievements, proactively strengthening the all-people national defence posture and making breakthroughs in building a revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern force; firmly safeguarding the Fatherland and responding effectively to non-traditional security challenges. It will advance defence diplomacy by intensifying dialogue and cooperation with partners and participating in multilateral cooperation mechanisms to contribute to peace and stability in the region.
