The exercise opening ceremony was co-chaired by Deputy Chief of the Staff of Vietnam’s Naval Region 4 Colonel Nguyen Van Ngan and Commander of Indonesia’s Naval Base IV Rear Admiral Kemas M. Ikhwan Madani.
Colonel Nguyen Van Ngan said the first joint exercise between Ship HQ 012 - Ly Thai To of the Vietnam People’s Navy and Ship KRI Bung Tom - 357 of the Indonesian Navy is an important milestone in the development of the two sides’ agreement on the standard process of joint training, signed in December 2021, aiming to enhance the friendship, understanding, and trust between the two militaries, including their navies.
Rear Admiral Kemas M. Ikhwan Madani stressed that CODEX 22B-I helps promote the two navies’ capacity, experience, and mutual understanding, thus helping guarantee maritime security and build up their trust.
CODEX 22B-I, the first of its kind between the Vietnamese and Indonesian navies, is taking place in the Batam and Bitan waters of Indonesia from August 29 to September 3./.