Indian and Thai soldiers stand in formation during the opening ceremony of Maitree-XV in Surat Thani.Indian and Thai troops are training together in Surat Thani as the 15th edition of Exercise Maitree runs from August 18 to 31. Each army has fielded 85 personnel, with the Indian contingent drawn primarily from 9 Gorkha Rifles and the Thai contingent from the 3rd Battalion, 25th Infantry Brigade. Opened by Lt Gen Norathip Phoynok, Commander of Thailand's 4th Army Area, the exercise focuses on improving interoperability in counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations across jungle and semi-urban terrain. Training has included trench clearing, casualty evacuation, jungle survival and UAV employment, along with Muay Thai sessions that add a close-combat and cultural dimension to the programme.The joint advance puts Maitree-XV's central objective: improving interoperability between the two armies, into practice on the ground.Indian and Thai soldiers move through a trench during a joint tactical drill at Exercise Maitree-XV in Surat Thani. The mixed formation rehearses coordinated movement through confined terrain.As the exercise develops, the troops move from basic coordination to more demanding tactical situations.Indian and Thai personnel advance through a trench with weapons at the ready during tactical training. The drill requires troops from the two contingents to move together through restricted terrain.The tactical sequence then expands beyond trenches to negotiating obstacles that can impede movement in the field.Thai soldiers take positions in a smoke-filled trench as Indian personnel operate alongside them during a joint field drill. The exercise adds simulated battlefield conditions to the trench-training phase.Alongside combat manoeuvres, the exercise also prepares personnel to respond when soldiers are injured during operations.An Indian soldier negotiates a concertina-wire obstacle while another takes position behind him during a field exercise. Obstacle crossing forms part of the wider tactical training being conducted during Maitree-XV.From battlefield response, the training shifts to survival skills required for operations in jungle terrain.Indian and Thai personnel train with medical mannequins during a joint session at Maitree-XV. Casualty evacuation is among the skills being practised during the two-week exercise.The survival module continues with practical techniques for sustaining troops in difficult terrain.A Royal Thai Army instructor demonstrates snake handling as Indian soldiers observe during a jungle-survival session. Jungle survival is one of the field skills included in Maitree-XV's training programme.While the field drills build operational skills, Maitree-XV also brings the two armies together through close-combat training rooted in a Thai martial tradition.An Indian soldier practises starting a fire during jungle-survival training as Thai personnel and fellow troops observe. The session adds another practical field skill to the exercise's jungle component.Group instruction gives way to individual practice as Indian personnel work through the techniques demonstrated by their Thai counterparts.Indian and Thai soldiers practise Muay Thai techniques together during a group training session. The martial-art component combines close-combat instruction with a cultural exchange between the two contingents.The session then moves from stance and technique to controlled partner drills.An Indian soldier practises a Muay Thai fighting stance alongside Thai personnel during the joint training session. The exercise gives troops an opportunity to learn and practise close-combat techniques together.After days of tactical, survival and close-combat training, the interaction between the two contingents also reflects the camaraderie Maitree seeks to foster.An Indian soldier practises a strike against a padded Thai partner as an instructor supervises the drill. The controlled exercise allows personnel to put the Muay Thai techniques into practice.Indian and Thai personnel gather following the Muay Thai session as representatives exchange a framed memento. The interaction reflects the professional cooperation and camaraderie developed alongside the exercise's operational training.Maitree-XV will culminate in a validation phase bringing together the tactical lessons and joint procedures practised during the exercise. By combining infantry fieldcraft, casualty evacuation, jungle survival, UAV employment and close-combat training, the programme is aimed at strengthening operational coordination, professional cooperation and mutual trust between the Indian and Thai armies. The exercise forms part of a wider defence partnership between the two countries centred on regional stability and security, including cooperation in the maritime domain.