Maitree Exercise is a bilateral exercise between the Royal Thai Army and the Indian Army. It was started in 2006. It is an annual event between the troops of the armies of both countries of India and Thailand. It is also referred to as the Indo-Thailand Joint Exercise. It has annually been conducted since 2006. The main aim of such joint exercises is to enhance the abilities needed for dealing with any typical dangers that affect the participating countries.

This topic of the Maitree Exercise is important from the perspective of UPSC IAS Examination which falls under General Studies Paper 1 (Preliminary) and General Studies Paper 2 (Mains) and particularly in the International Relations Section.

In this article, we shall discuss the Maitree Exercise while having an insight into its aim, scope and List of Other Joint Military Exercises for the UPSC Exam.

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Recent Update

The armies of Thailand and India have created a roadmap to increase interaction, particularly to improve collaboration in training and conducting joint drills. The last Maitree exercise was held in 2019 in Thailand in Sattahip, Chonburi, and Nakhon Nayok.

Maitree exercise

An annual military drill between Thailand and India is known as the Maitree Exercise.

• The exercise includes medical and medical support actions and air and ground troops. Exercise MAITREE has been a yearly military exercise program since 2006, alternately in Thailand and India.
• Joint company-level training on counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations in cities and jungles will be covered throughout this exercise.
• A joint military exercise between the Indian Army (IA) and the Royal Thai Army (RTA) will improve bilateral ties and defence cooperation between the two nations.
• This exercise is important for both countries as they deal with the security threats posed by terrorism against the background of the evolving nature of international terrorism.
• Terrorist attacks are more common in Thailand’s southern regions, which are primarily visited by foreigners and include Satun City, Patthalung Province, and Bangkok.
• In 2019, the exercise took place at three places.
  • For the air component, the exercise was held in Sattahip and Chonburi, the ground component was organized in Nakhon Nayok, and the medical component was organized in Sattahip, Chonburi, and Nakhon Nayok.

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What is the scope of the Maitree Exercise?

• The Maitree exercise’s scope includes company-level collaborative training on insurgency & counter-terrorism operations in the jungle and urban environments.
• It concentrates on combined field drills involving both air and ground forces.
• The combined military exercise between the Indian Army (IA) and the Royal Thai Army (RTA) will result in defence cooperation and bilateral ties between the two countries. Thailand and India are participating in a joint field exercise.
• It was first hosted in Sattahip, Chonburi, in Thailand in 2006.

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Why is it called Maitree?

• The term Maitree means “friendship.”
• It expresses the desire of the two nations to advance their mutually beneficial collaboration in all areas, with an emphasis on amity, goodwill, and peace.
• The exercise is yet another step in Thailand and India’s efforts to deepen their friendship and expand their partnership.

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Aim of the Maitree Exercise

• The exercise intends to improve collaboration in peacekeeping, disaster relief, and humanitarian assistance missions as well as the military connections between the two nations.
• The exercise’s main purpose was to allow participants to exchange information about their prior experiences with counterterrorism operations.
• It also aims to deliver instruction that equips both sides with the necessary military capabilities to counter a variety of threats.
  • In the event that incidents take place on their soil, they can also ensure that their nations have a security guarantee.
• The nations will receive training in city administration and evacuation in urban areas through a town management task.
• The drill also aims to better train soldiers for collaboration with other countrymen when they are assigned to the region.
• The goal of this exercise is to:
  • Improve interoperability
  • Training and planning for the armed forces
  • putting into practice a number of well designed tactical drills for neutralizing potential threats that could be encountered in urban warfare situations
  • increasing comradeship between the two armies

Exercise Maitree List

The Exercise Maitree list is elaborated in a table below for better understanding.

India-Thailand Defence Cooperation – A Long-Term Relationship

India and Thailand have a long history of mutually beneficial connections. Their military cooperation is a reflection of the mutual respect and trust that have long underpinned the two nations’ relationship.

• In order to combat terrorism, marine piracy, and arms trafficking, and to jointly prepare for natural and man-made disasters, there is a tendency toward more intense military cooperation.
• India and Thailand signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation on January 25, 2012.
• India has been an “Observer Plus” participant in Ex-Cobra Gold, the largest military exercise held in Thailand, which was a participating nation since 2015.
• Engineers, observers, and medical delegations from India participate in the drills in Thailand.
• The other current defence cooperation projects include annual staff meetings, subject matter expert exchange trips, biannual joint marine patrolling by both nations’ navies, and training of officers at each other’s universities.
• Long-standing bilateral defence cooperation initiatives between New Delhi and Bangkok include officer training, joint drills, and security forums. The democratic administration in Delhi and the military government in Bangkok now work closely together.
• Thailand’s “Act West” program has been a complement to India’s “Act East” strategy. The two nations work closely together in the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy, Mekong Ganga Cooperation, Asia Cooperation Dialogue, East Asia Summit, and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) groups.
• They frequently take part in regional activities like the Multilateral Naval Exercises (MILAN) naval drills, which are held every two years and involve navies from the wider Indian Ocean region, including Australia.

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Joint Military Exercises of India with Other Countries

The Joint Military Exercises of India with other countries are elaborated in the table below for better understanding.

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Conclusion

It may well be said that “the Security Relationship” has served as the engine for the extensive Indo-Thai alliance. The exercise is crucial for both countries as it helps them deal with the threats to their internal as well as external security posed by terrorism, especially in view of the evolving nature of international terrorism. Both India and Thailand have benefited greatly from the Exercise in terms of enhancing national security. It also presented an opportunity for the two nations to advance their bilateral relations and enhance their future cooperative efforts.

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