Soldiers from the Indian Army and the Royal Thai Army are deep into a wide-ranging exchange of combat skills and operational know-how as the 15th edition of Exercise MAITREE continues at Vibhavadi Rangsit Camp.
Among the most closely watched activities has been the reciprocal martial-arts training between the two contingents. The Royal Thai Army opened the exchange with a demonstration of Muay Thai, the country’s storied striking art, after which the Indian Army showcased its own Army Martial Arts Routine (AMAR) — a structured system built around close-combat and self-defence. Officers from both sides said the sessions underscored the physical conditioning, discipline and combat readiness that run through each army’s martial traditions.
Beyond hand-to-hand combat, the Indian contingent also passed on operational experience through hands-on demonstrations and joint practice. Troops worked through Mobile Vehicle Check Post drills, Cordon and Search Operations, and room-intervention techniques — training built around coordinated action, tactical precision, situational awareness and effective response in semi-urban settings.
The two armies also trained together on identifying Improvised Explosive Devices and on counter-IED measures, giving both contingents a chance to compare notes on recognising potential threats and responding to them safely.
Exercise MAITREE-XV runs from 18 to 31 August 2026 and brings together 85 personnel each from the Indian Army and the Royal Thai Army. India is represented by troops from 9 Gorkha Rifles, while Thailand has fielded soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 25th Infantry Brigade. The company-level exercise is centred on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations, and is aimed at deepening interoperability and military cooperation between the two forces.
