Indian Army Heads to Thailand for MAITREE-XV Joint Military Exercise

New Delhi, August 17, 2026: An Indian Army contingent has departed for Thailand to participate in the 15th edition of Exercise MAITREE, the bilateral military exercise between the Indian Army and the Royal Thai Army.

MAITREE-XV 2026 will be conducted from August 18 to 31 at Vibhavadi Rangsit Camp in Surat Thani, Thailand. The exercise will bring together soldiers from both armies for intensive training in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations across jungle and semi-urban environments.

The previous edition of Exercise MAITREE was held at the Foreign Training Node in Umroi, Meghalaya, in September 2025.

9 Gorkha Rifles to Represent Indian Army

Both the Indian Army and Royal Thai Army will field contingents of 85 personnel each.

The Indian contingent will primarily comprise troops from 9 Gorkha Rifles, one of the Indian Army’s distinguished infantry regiments. The Royal Thai Army will be represented by personnel from the 3rd Battalion, 25th Infantry Brigade, 5th Division.

The two forces will train together at the company level, allowing soldiers and commanders to practise coordinated tactical operations under realistic field conditions.

The emphasis on jungle and semi-urban terrain reflects the operational environments in which counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism forces may have to operate.

Focus on Counter-Insurgency and Counter-Terrorism Operations

The primary aim of Exercise MAITREE is to strengthen military cooperation between India and Thailand and improve the ability of their armed forces to operate together.

The 2026 edition will focus on joint counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations in jungle and semi-urban environments under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.

Chapter VII deals with international action relating to threats to peace, breaches of peace and acts of aggression. Training conducted within this framework helps participating forces prepare for complex operations that could arise during peace-support or security missions.

The exercise will therefore combine tactical skills with procedures required for coordinated multinational military operations.

Field Training, Combat Discussions and Demonstrations

MAITREE-XV will include a wide range of training activities rather than a single field manoeuvre.

Indian and Thai soldiers will participate in field exercises, combat discussions, professional lectures and tactical demonstrations. The training programme will allow the two armies to exchange operational knowledge and learn from each other’s experience.

Both contingents will also showcase contemporary military equipment and technologies used during joint operations.

The exercise will culminate in a validation exercise, during which the participating troops will apply the skills and procedures developed during the preceding days of training.

Such validation exercises allow commanders to assess how effectively mixed formations can coordinate command, communications, tactical movement and operational decision-making.

Jungle Warfare Forms an Important Part of Training

Thailand’s terrain provides a valuable environment for jungle warfare training.

Dense vegetation creates distinctive military challenges. Visibility can be restricted, communications become more difficult and movement through terrain is slower than in open environments.

Small-unit leadership, navigation, concealment and coordination therefore become especially important.

The Indian Army possesses considerable experience operating in mountainous, forested and counter-insurgency environments, while the Royal Thai Army has its own extensive experience with tropical terrain.

Exercise MAITREE provides both sides with an opportunity to combine these experiences and refine common operating procedures.

Improving Interoperability Between the Two Armies

One of the most important objectives of multinational military exercises is interoperability.

Two armies may use different equipment, tactical procedures, communications systems and command structures. During a joint operation, they must nevertheless be able to understand each other’s methods and coordinate effectively.

MAITREE allows Indian and Thai personnel to practise these procedures before they might ever be required in a real multinational operation.

Repeated exercises also create professional familiarity between officers and soldiers. This can significantly improve coordination during humanitarian assistance, peace-support operations or other contingencies requiring cooperation between partner countries.

Exercise MAITREE Dates Back to 2006

India and Thailand instituted Exercise MAITREE in 2006 as a platform for regular military interaction.

Over the following two decades, it has developed into an important element of bilateral defence cooperation.

The exercise allows the two armies to exchange best practices, study tactical developments and strengthen professional relationships.

Its continuation also demonstrates the broader growth of India-Thailand defence relations, which include military exchanges, training cooperation and interaction between the armed forces of both countries.

Strengthening India’s Defence Engagement With Southeast Asia

Thailand occupies an important geographic position in Southeast Asia and has longstanding historical and cultural links with India.

Defence cooperation has increasingly become another pillar of the relationship.

Regular exercises such as MAITREE allow both countries to translate diplomatic cooperation into practical military engagement.

For India, these interactions also complement its wider engagement with Southeast Asian countries under the Act East Policy and its broader approach towards security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

Training exercises help build familiarity between regional militaries while creating channels of communication that can prove valuable during emergencies and security challenges.

MAITREE-XV Builds on a Two-Decade Partnership

The 15th edition of Exercise MAITREE represents another step in a military relationship that has been developing since the exercise was established in 2006.

During the two-week training programme in Surat Thani, soldiers from 9 Gorkha Rifles and the Royal Thai Army’s 3rd Battalion, 25th Infantry Brigade will operate together across simulated jungle and semi-urban scenarios.

The combination of field training, tactical discussions, technology demonstrations and a final validation exercise is intended to improve operational compatibility between the two forces.

More importantly, MAITREE-XV will strengthen the personal and professional bonds that underpin long-term military partnerships.

As India expands defence engagement with Southeast Asian countries, exercises such as MAITREE provide a practical mechanism for building interoperability, mutual understanding and trust between armed forces.

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Official Source

Ministry of Defence / Press Information Bureau, Government of India — August 17, 2026:
Indian Army Contingent Departs for India-Thailand Joint Military Exercise MAITREE-XV

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