Maitree Exercise - Facts about Exercise Maitree for UPSC

Exercise Maitree is a bilateral exercise between the Indian Army and the Royal Thai Army, started off in 2006. It is an annual event between the troops of the armies of both countries. It is also called Indo-Thailand Joint Exercise. The latest edition of the Maitree Exercise took place in September 2019 from 16-29 September. It is one of the important joint military exercises of India with other nations and questions are usually asked in the prelims stage of the IAS Exam. This article will provide you with major relevant facts about Maitree Exercise for UPSC preparation.

Candidates can read about other important joint military exercises from the articles mentioned in the table below:

Surya Kiran Yudh Abhyas Mitra Shakti
Sampriti Vajra Prahar Nomadic Elephant

Get the List of Indian Army Exercises important for all the competitive examinations including the UPSC exam, in the linked article.

Aspirants can cover the topics mentioned in the UPSC Syllabus by following the below-mentioned links:

Major Facts about Maitree Exercise for UPSC

The table below mentions a few important points about Maitree Exercise for UPSC Prelims:

Exercise Maitree – Important Points for UPSC
It takes place between the Indian Army and the Royal Thai Army (Thailand).
It is platoon level exercise comprising infantry component (2016 Maitree Exercise)
The aim of the Maitree Exercise to enhance defence cooperation between the two countries
The latest edition of the exercise took place at Foreign Training Node, Umroi (Meghalaya) in 2019

  • Troops of each army consisted of 50 soldiers
  • The aim of the exercise was to share each others’ experiences in the counter-terrorism operations that have been held in the past
  • It is a company-level joint training
It occurs annually; location of exercise alternate between two countries
The exercise aims to prepare the armies for the counterterrorism operations as both the countries face security challenges in terms of terrorism
The training involved in the joint military exercise is set in urban and jungle scenarios
The Indo-Thailand Joint Exercise in 2018 emphasized on enhancing the tactical and technical skills in joint counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations in the rural and urban scenario under UN mandate.
This exercise puts emphasis on:

  • Increasing interoperability
  • Training
  • Planning
  • Executing a series of well developed tactical drills for neutralization of likely threats that may be encountered in urban warfare scenarios
  • Promoting bonhomie between the two armies
Areas of Thailand that are prone to terrorism attacks:

  • The Southern regions of Thailand – Satun city, Phatthalung province, Bangkok, etc

To read related topics, check the links mentioned below:

Internal Security and Disaster Management Internal Security Forces in India
National Security Doctrine Left Wing Extremism
National Security Council (NSC) Army Design Bureau
Women in Commanding Role in Army Chief of Defence Staff

List of Maitree Exercises (Year-Wise)

The table below mentions the year and the location of the Maitree Exercise:

Year of Maitree Exercise Location of Maitree Exercise
2016 Krabi, Thailand
2017 Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh
2018 Chachoengsao, Thailand
2019 Umroi, Meghalaya

India-Thailand Defence Cooperation

Candidates can note down a few important points w.r.t India and Thailand’s defence cooperation:

  1. India’s Act East Policy complements Thailand’s Act West Policy
  2. Both the countries are closely associated together through the following international groupings:
    1. ASEAN
    2. East Asia Summit
    3. BIMSTEC
    4. Mekong Ganga Cooperation
    5. Indian Ocean Rim Association
    6. Asia Cooperation Dialogue
  3. In 2012, Indian and Thailand signed a Memorandum of Understanding (Mou) on Defence Cooperation
  4. In 2018, 6th Annual Defence Dialogue was held at Bangkok
  5. India is participating in Ex-Cobra Gold, the largest Asia Pacific Military exercise as ‘Observer Plus’ category since 2015
  6. To enhance defence cooperation, both countries entertain:
    • Bilateral exercises between armies and air forces of both the countries
    • Bi-annual joint maritime patrolling by the navies of both India and Thailand
    • Annual Staff Talks
    • Subject Matter Expert Exchange Visits
    • Use of each others’ institutions to train officers

Read in detail about India-Thailand relations in the linked article. This will help you in preparing notes for international relations under UPSC Mains GS 2.

Maitree Exercise – UPSC Notes:-Download PDF Here

Frequently Asked Questions about Maitree Exercise

Q1

What is the Maitree Exercise?

Exercise Maitree is a bilateral exercise between the Indian Army and the Royal Thai Army, started off in 2006. It is an annual event between the troops of the armies of both countries. It is also called Indo-Thailand Joint Exercise.
Q2

What is the scope of the Maitree Exercise?

The scope of this exercise covers company level joint training on insurgency & counter-terrorism operations in jungles and urban scenarios. The joint military exercise between the Indian Army (IA) and the Royal Thailand Army (RTA) will give a boost to the defence cooperation and bilateral relations between the two nations.

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