{"id":120134,"date":"2026-08-20T16:51:36","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T11:21:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=120134"},"modified":"2026-08-20T16:51:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T11:21:36","slug":"exercise-maitree-xv-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/exercise-maitree-xv-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Exercise MAITREE-XV 2026, About, Significance, Other Exercises"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently, <\/span><b>Exercise MAITREE-XV (2026),<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the <\/span><b>15th edition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the <\/span><b>India-Thailand Joint Military Exercise<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, commenced at Vibhavadi Rangsit Camp in <\/span><b>Surat Thani, Thailand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Conducted from <\/span><b>18 to 31 August 2026<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the exercise brings together the <\/span><b>Indian Army and Royal Thai Army<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for company-level training focused on joint counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in jungle and semi-urban environments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Exercise MAITREE-XV 2026<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Exercise MAITREE <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is a <\/span><b>bilateral joint military exercise<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> between the <\/span><b>Indian Army and the Royal Thai Army<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, instituted in <\/span><b>2006<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to strengthen military cooperation <\/span><b>between India and Thailand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It provides a platform for the two armies to share operational experience and best practices, improve interoperability and build mutual understanding and camaraderie.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The exercise was originally known as the <\/span><b>Thai-Indian Cooperation Field Exercise (TICAFE).<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was <\/span><b>renamed<\/b> <b>MAITREE<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, meaning \u201cfriendship\u201d, in <\/span><b>2013<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although intended as a regular bilateral exercise, it has not been held strictly every year, with gaps between some editions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The exercise is hosted by India and Thailand alternately.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has evolved into an important platform for training in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations, particularly in difficult terrain.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>About Exercise MAITREE-XV 2026<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>15th edition of Exercise MAITREE <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is being conducted <\/span><b>from 18 to 31 August 2026<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at the <\/span><b>Vibhavadi Rangsit Camp, Surat Thani, Thailand.<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Indian Army and Royal Thai Army contingents comprise 85 personnel each.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Indian contingent is represented primarily by troops from the <\/span><b>9<\/b> <b>Gorkha Rifles.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Royal Thai Army contingent comprises personnel from the 3rd Battalion, 25th Infantry Brigade, 5th Division.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a company-level joint training exercise focused on operations in jungle and semi-urban environments.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The exercise seeks to enhance the combined capability of both armies to conduct joint counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations under <\/span><b>Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Training includes field exercises, combat discussions, lectures and demonstrations, followed by a culminating validation exercise.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The two contingents will exchange operational experience and showcase contemporary equipment and technologies used during joint operations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>previous edition, MAITREE-XIV<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, was conducted in September 2025 at the Foreign Training Node, <\/span><b>Umroi, Meghalaya.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Exercise MAITREE-XV 2026 Significance for India-Thailand Relations<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise MAITREE is part of India&#8217;s broader defence engagement with Thailand and Southeast Asia.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It gives practical expression to <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/act-east-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\">India&#8217;s Act East Policy<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, while Thailand&#8217;s Act West Policy provides a complementary framework for its engagement with India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regular military interaction strengthens the strategic and security dimension of India-Thailand relations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Training together in jungle and semi-urban environments helps both countries address shared concerns relating to insurgency and terrorism.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Defence cooperation also contributes to India&#8217;s wider engagement with <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/asean\/\" target=\"_blank\">ASEAN<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the Indo-Pacific.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The exercise complements the longstanding political, economic, cultural and strategic ties between India and Thailand.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Other India-ASEAN Military Exercises<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other important <\/span><b>India-ASEAN and neighbouring-country military exercises<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> include the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 82.9946%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; width: 26.6259%;\"><b>Exercise<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; width: 17.8028%;\"><b>Partner<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; width: 93.6347%;\"><b>Broad focus<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 26.6259%;\">\n<p><b>MAITREE<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 17.8028%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thailand<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 93.6347%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 26.6259%;\">\n<p><b>Sampriti<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 17.8028%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bangladesh<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 93.6347%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Counter-terrorism and disaster management<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 26.6259%;\">\n<p><b>Samudra Laksamana<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 17.8028%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Malaysia<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 93.6347%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maritime security<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 26.6259%;\">\n<p><b>Mitra Shakti<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 17.8028%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sri Lanka<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 93.6347%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 26.6259%;\">\n<p><b>Ekuverin<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 17.8028%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maldives<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 93.6347%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Counter-terrorism<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 26.6259%;\">\n<p><b>Garuda Shakti<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 17.8028%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indonesia<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 93.6347%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Special forces and counter-terrorism<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Exercise MAITREE-XV 2026 is an India-Thailand military exercise focused on counter-terrorism, interoperability, jungle warfare, and strengthening defence ties.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":120157,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[9669],"class_list":["post-120134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-general-studies","tag-exercise-maitree-xv-2026","no-featured-image-padding"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=120134"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120134\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":120227,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120134\/revisions\/120227"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/120157"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=120134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=120134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=120134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}