Exercise MAITREE-XV 2026, About, Significance, Other Exercises

Recently, Exercise MAITREE-XV (2026), the 15th edition of the India-Thailand Joint Military Exercise, commenced at Vibhavadi Rangsit Camp in Surat Thani, Thailand. Conducted from 18 to 31 August 2026, the exercise brings together the Indian Army and Royal Thai Army for company-level training focused on joint counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in jungle and semi-urban environments. 

Exercise MAITREE-XV 2026

Exercise MAITREE is a bilateral joint military exercise between the Indian Army and the Royal Thai Army, instituted in 2006 to strengthen military cooperation between India and Thailand. It provides a platform for the two armies to share operational experience and best practices, improve interoperability and build mutual understanding and camaraderie.

• The exercise was originally known as the Thai-Indian Cooperation Field Exercise (TICAFE).
• It was renamed MAITREE, meaning “friendship”, in 2013.
• Although intended as a regular bilateral exercise, it has not been held strictly every year, with gaps between some editions.
• The exercise is hosted by India and Thailand alternately.
• It has evolved into an important platform for training in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations, particularly in difficult terrain.

About Exercise MAITREE-XV 2026

The 15th edition of Exercise MAITREE is being conducted from 18 to 31 August 2026 at the Vibhavadi Rangsit Camp, Surat Thani, Thailand.

• The Indian Army and Royal Thai Army contingents comprise 85 personnel each.
• The Indian contingent is represented primarily by troops from the 9 Gorkha Rifles.
• The Royal Thai Army contingent comprises personnel from the 3rd Battalion, 25th Infantry Brigade, 5th Division.
• It is a company-level joint training exercise focused on operations in jungle and semi-urban environments.
• The exercise seeks to enhance the combined capability of both armies to conduct joint counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.
• Training includes field exercises, combat discussions, lectures and demonstrations, followed by a culminating validation exercise.
• The two contingents will exchange operational experience and showcase contemporary equipment and technologies used during joint operations.
• The previous edition, MAITREE-XIV, was conducted in September 2025 at the Foreign Training Node, Umroi, Meghalaya.

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Exercise MAITREE-XV 2026 Significance for India-Thailand Relations

Exercise MAITREE is part of India’s broader defence engagement with Thailand and Southeast Asia.

• It gives practical expression to India’s Act East Policy, while Thailand’s Act West Policy provides a complementary framework for its engagement with India.
• Regular military interaction strengthens the strategic and security dimension of India-Thailand relations.
• Training together in jungle and semi-urban environments helps both countries address shared concerns relating to insurgency and terrorism.
• Defence cooperation also contributes to India’s wider engagement with ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific.
• The exercise complements the longstanding political, economic, cultural and strategic ties between India and Thailand.

Other India-ASEAN Military Exercises

Other important India-ASEAN and neighbouring-country military exercises include the following: