Indian Army reaches Thailand for 15th joint military exercise MAITREE-XV

An Indian Army contingent of 85 personnel has arrived in Thailand for the 15th edition of the India-Thailand joint military exercise MAITREE-XV. The drill will be held from August 18 to 31 at the Vibhavadi Rangsit Camp in Surat Thani province, according to a defence ministry statement.

The Royal Thai Army will field an equal number of troops from the 3rd Battalion, 25th Infantry Brigade, 5th Division. The Indian side is represented mainly by soldiers of the 9 Gorkha Rifles. The exercise focuses on company-level joint training for counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations in jungle and semi-urban terrain under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.

The previous edition of MAITREE was conducted at Umroi, Meghalaya, in September 2025. The drill aims to deepen defence cooperation and interoperability between the two armies. Soldiers from both sides will exchange operational experiences and showcase contemporary equipment and technologies during the drill. The exercise was first instituted in 2006.