General Departments and Agencies

The General Department of Logistics

The General Department of Logistics is the organ under the Ministry of National Defence which has the functions to advise, direct, and organise such logistical activities as material supplies, daily necessity support, medical care, and transportation for the military. It has functional departments responsible for logistics consultation, military ordnance, military medicine, stationing facilities, fuel, transportation and other subordinate agencies and units.

Traditional day: 11/7/1950.

The General Department of Technology

The General Department of Technology is the organ under the Ministry of National Defence which has the functions to advise the CMC and the Ministry of National Defence to direct and instruct the technical support in the VPA and the Militia and Self-Defence Force, assists the Minister of National Defence to conduct the state management functions on the technical support, directs the technical branch in the VPA and the Militia and Self-Defence Force on the matters concerned, and manages and directs its subordinate units.

Traditional day: 10/9/1974.

The General Department of Defence Industry

The General Department of Defence Industry is the organ under the Ministry of National Defence which has the functions to advise the CMC to direct the building and development of defence industry in the VPA, assists the Minister of National Defence to conduct the state management functions on defence industry in the whole country. It is in charge of commanding and managing its subordinate units composed of functional departments and divisions, manages and directes the establishments manufacturing and maintaining military weapons and equipment, research institutions, vocational schools, and subordinate units.

Traditional day: 15/9/1945.

The General Department of Defence Intelligence

The General Department of Defence Intelligence assists the Minister of National Defence to conduct the state management functions on defence and military intelligence. It directly carries out intelligence activities at the strategic level. At the same time, it is the advisory organ for the Minister of National Defence and the VPA's Chief of General Staff to consult on the force organisation and intelligence operations. It is the lead department directly responsible for directing and commanding the military intelligence and reconnaissance network in terms of intelligence professionalism.

Traditional day: 25/10/1945.

The Foreign Relations Department

The Foreign Relations Department is the state management organ on the VPA’s international defence relations and international integration, functioning as the advisory organ for the Standing CMC and the Minister of National Defence to consult on the guidelines, directions and measures to international defence relations and international integration, instructing and managing international defence relations activities, and planning and organising those activities in assigned domains. It represents the Ministry of National Defence in working with foreign defence attachés, diplomatic representatives, international and regional organisations in defence matter

Traditional day: 28/5/1964.

Department of Rescue and Relief

The Department of Rescue and Relief, under the Ministry of National Defence, functions as the standing body of the National Committee for Search and Rescue, and is responsible for coordinating both military and non-military forces in search and rescue operations, and disaster relief.

Viet Nam Coast Guard

Viet Nam Coast Guard is an element of the people's armed forces which plays a role as a specialised force of the State and exercises its core roles of law enforcement and protection of national security, order and safety at sea. It provides recommendations to the Minister of National Defence or makes proposals to the CPV and the State to issue policies and laws on the protection of national security, order and safety at sea, protecting national sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the sea waters of Viet Nam. It exercises the functions to control maritime security, order, and safety, and conduct law enforcement activities as stipulated by Viet Nam's laws and relevant international conventions and agreements signed or participated in by the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.
Viet Nam Coast Guard has four Coast Guard zones (1, 2, 3, 4). Each has a Coast Guard Command and subordinate units. Viet Nam Coast Guard is equipped with vessels, aircraft, weapons, explosives, support instruments and other specialised equipment to carry out its functions, missions and rights in the sea waters of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the sea waters beyond the Vietnamese sea waters stipulated by Vietnamese law and related international conventions and agreements of which Viet Nam is a signatory.