Indian Army Completes Joint Exercises with Thailand, Mongolia

The Indian Army has completed joint training exercises with the Royal Thai Army (RTA) and the Mongolian Army. While the 13th edition of India-Thailand joint military exercise Maitree took place at Fort Vachiraprakan in Thailand’s Tak Province, the 16th edition of the India-Mongolia joint exercise, Nomadic Elephant took place at the Indian Army’s Joint Training Node in Umroi, Meghalaya.

Maitree involved 76 Indian personnel mainly drawn from the Ladakh Scouts, while the RTA contingent was comprised of 76 personnel mainly from 1st Battalion, 14 Infantry Regiment of 4 Division.

Both armies focused on training on joint counter insurgency/ terrorist operations in the jungle and urban environment. The tactical drills undertaken included creation of a joint operation centre, establishing an intelligence and surveillance center, employment of drones and counter drone systems, securing a landing site, small team insertion & extraction, special heliborne operations, cordon and search operations, room intervention drills and demolition of illegal structures.

Nomadic Elephant consisted of 45 personnel from a Battalion of the Indian Army’s Sikkim Scouts along with personnel from other arms and services training alongside 150 troops from a Quick Reaction Force Battalion of the Mongolian Army. Both sides trained on conduct of joint semi-conventional operations in semi urban/ mountainous terrain.