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Exercise Maitree has been conducted since the year 2006 with India. Thailand has constant contacts with India, which is one of the products of bilateral relations between Thailand and India. The exercise aims to strengthen military ties between the two countries and enhance cooperation in peacekeeping operations, disaster relief operations, and humanitarian assistance and cooperation. The exercise is held every year on a rotational basis. The last exercise (in 2019) was held in Sattahip, Chonburi, and Nakhon Nayok. The following article will explain the facts about Exercise Maitree and Thailand Defence Cooperation in detail.
Key Facts about Exercise Maitree
The Maitree Exercise is a military exercise between Thailand and India which takes place every year. The exercise covers air and land forces, along with medical and medical support activities. Joint exercises are conducted on a practical level in order to practice the necessary skills for confronting common threats.Â
Following are the key facts about Exercise Maitree:
What is the scope of the Maitree Exercise?
The Exercise Maitree is a combined field exercise between Thailand and India. The first exercise was held in Sattahip, Chonburi, in 2006. At that time, it was called The Thai-Indian Cooperation Field Exercise (TICAFE), but it was changed to its current name in 2013. It has been held every year since then on a rotational basis. It focuses on combined field exercises in the areas of air and ground forces. In addition to the military, there are many other aspects which include medical and medical support activities.
Why is it called Maitree?
The name Maitree means “friendship”. It reflects the wishes of both countries to enhance cooperation in all fields with a focus on friendship, goodwill, and peace. The exercise is another step in the process of strengthening friendship and increasing cooperation between Thailand and India.
The aim of the Maitree Exercise:
The Maitree Exercise aims to provide training that enables both sides to tackle various threats in order to develop necessary military skills. They will be able to provide support if there are natural disasters such as earthquakes or tsunamis. They can also guarantee that their countries have a security guarantee if incidents occur in their territory. In addition, the exercise is aimed at making soldiers more prepared when they are deployed to the area to work together with other members of their countries. In urban areas, there will be a town management task that trains them in city management and evacuation.
Exercise Maitree Location:
Exercise Maitree was held in three locations. The exercise is organized in Sattahip and Chonburi for the air component, Nakhon Nayok for the ground component, and Sattahip, Chonburi, and Nakhon Nayok for medical purposes. The location of the exercise will be announced a few months before it is held.
The Participants:
The number of soldiers in each country will differ depending on their military status, their combat strength, and if they are regular soldiers or volunteers. The numbers of each component also vary to match regional demands.
The numbers of each category in Thailand are:
The air component: the number will be at least 1,000 to 1,500 soldiers. The number of nurses and medical staff, and medics will range from 200 to 400 people.
The ground component: the number will be at least 300 to 500 soldiers. The number of nurses and medical staff, and medics will range from 100 to 200 people.
Medical component: the number of nurses and medical staff, and medics will range from 50 to 80 persons.
The Royal Thai Armed Forces: at least 900 soldiers.
The Royal Thai Police Force: at least 200 officers.
The Benefits of participating in the Maitree Exercise:
The benefits of participating in the Maitree Exercise include:
- The training and education that takes place will help improve skills and increase their capability.
- They will be able to develop the skills necessary for their role.
- The experiences gained will help improve cooperation and allow their countries to work together on a large scale.
- They can improve their skills in emergency situations.
Thailand Defence Cooperation: A Long-Term Relationship
Thailand has been cooperating with India since the 1960s after the death of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej in October 2016. Therefore, Thailand’s relationship with India has a long history.
Historically, Thailand and India were both influenced by the British Empire, growing together to become close allies in relation to their common religious beliefs and belief in democracy as countries under strong leadership. Both countries’ economies were also reliant on agriculture and trade through sea routes.
Therefore, Thailand and India have long had a close relationship with one another. The relationship between the two countries has always been based on mutual respect and trust, which is reflected in their military cooperation.
Conclusion
The article concludes with the Key Facts about Exercise Maitree. The Exercise Maitree has been a great opportunity for both Thailand and India to build up their country’s security. It is also a chance for the two countries to improve their relationship with each other and improve cooperation between them in the future. The exercise has served as a platform for both countries’ military forces to learn and grow together and become closer allies. It is part of a long-term relationship that the two countries have maintained with each other in the past and will continue to maintain in the future.
