General Department of Defence Intelligence

General Department of Defence Intelligence
General Department II
Tổng cục Tình báo quốc phòng
Tổng cục II
Seal of GDDI
Flag of General Department II as a unit under the Vietnam People's Army
Agency overview
Formed25 October 1945; 79 years ago (1945-10-25)
Preceding agencies
  • Military Intelligence Division (1946-1947; 1957-1995)
  • Intelligence Agency (1947-1950)
  • Communication Department (1951-1957)
JurisdictionVietnam Vietnam Ministry of National Defence
HeadquartersBắc Từ Liêm District, Hanoi
Employees~25.000
Annual budgetClassified
Agency executives
Parent department CPV Central Military Commission
Parent agencyVietnam SRV Ministry of National Defence

The General Department of Defence Intelligence (GDDI; Vietnamese: Tổng cục Tình báo quốc phòng - TBQP, lit. 'General Department of Intelligence for national defence', sometimes Tổng cục Tình báo, lit. 'General Department of Intelligence'),[1] also recognized by its internal designation General Department II (Tổng cục II or less formally Tổng cục 2 - TC2),[2] is a strategic military intelligence service of the Vietnam People’s Army and practically the biggest existing intelligence agency under the Vietnamese government. GDDI is intended to directly carry out intelligence activities at the strategic level, meanwhile serving as the advisory organ for the Minister of National Defence and the General Chief of Staff to consult on the force organization and intelligence operations. It is the lead department directly responsible for instructing and guiding the army’s military intelligence and reconnaissance network in terms of professional intelligence in Vietnam.[3]

GDDI also commissions at least three formal combatant brigades, being field reconnaisance formations.[4][5][6] Designated as the special reconnaissance forces (trinh sát đặc nhiệm), they are capable of conducting dedicated military offensive operations as well as infiltration campaigns serving the Vietnamese interests.

  1. ^ "Defense intelligence sector receives noble order". en.qdnd.vn (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  2. ^ "Defense intelligence service always excellently accomplishes its missions". en.qdnd.vn (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  3. ^ "General Departments and Agencies". Ministry of Defence (Vietnam).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ "State President commends performance by Brigade K3". People's Army Newspaper. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  5. ^ "Brigade 74 titled "Hero of People's Armed Forces"". People's Army Newspaper. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  6. ^ "Military unit hands over house of gratitude". People's Army Newspaper. Retrieved 2024-09-29. General Department 2 of the Ministry of National Defense in association with the...The construction was built by troops of Brigade 94...