Hello, Warriors. On sidelines of Vice-President Hamid Ansari’s visit to Thailand, India has participated in the 35th edition of “Cobra Gold” multilateral exercise as an observer plus country, hosted by Thailand. India has been accorded as the observer plus country because of its increasing regional operability.
Royal Thai Army Supreme Commander, General Sommai Kaotira, and U.S. Ambassador to Thailand, Glyn Davies, launched the 35th iteration of the annual exercise at the Royal Thai Navy Command Center in Sattahip district in Chonburi province of Thailand.
Here are the 10 key points of this exercise:
- Cobra Gold 2016 started on February 9 and went on for ten days till February 19. It placed an emphasis on low-level military operations.
- The theme of the exercise, involving 35 countries, was humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
- A 12-member team of the Indian Army had participated in the “Cobra Gold” multilateral exercise along with counterparts from China and Pakistan.
- This year 8,564 personnel from seven nations – United States, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea – participated in the exercise, with a further 21 nations participating in reduced roles. Nine other countries participated in multinational planning while nine others sent observers.
- Established in 1982, it served as military training exercise to improve coordination between the armed forces of the United States and Thailand in both hostile military and humanitarian efforts.
- Exercise Cobra Gold, one of the largest multilateral exercises in the Asia-Pacific region, has taken place annually for more than 30 years.
- This year, Cobra Gold will strengthen regional cooperation and collaboration, increasing the ability of participating nations to work together on complex multilateral operations such as counter-piracy and the delivery of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
- Cobra Gold Exercise have three distinct activities, namely, the Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise (CALFEX), Command Post Exercise (CPX) and activity related to assisting the local Thai population.
- Cobra Gold 2016, the 35th version of the military exercise, brought together more than two dozen nations to address regional and global security challenges and to promote international cooperation and stability within the region.
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This was for the first time that India has participated in the Cobra Gold 2016 multilateral amphibious exercise. The exercise was proven effective in improving coordinated military response during numerous natural disasters including the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, 2011 Tōhoku tsunami and aftermath 2013 Typhoon Haiyan in Philippines.
