The multilateral military exercise PRAGATI 2026 commenced on Wednesday at the Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya's Ri-Bhoi district, with participation from 12 friendly nations: Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.
Focus on Counter-Terrorism
The two-week exercise will concentrate on counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain. According to a defence statement, the training programme includes joint planning exercises, tactical-level drills, and coordinated operations designed to improve adaptability, endurance, and tactical proficiency of participating troops.
Spirit of Cooperation
PRAGATI, which stands for Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region, is being conducted in the spirit of equality, friendship, and mutual respect. The statement added that the exercise provides a common platform for participating armies to engage in professional exchange, learn from one another's experiences, and build closer military-to-military ties.
Strengthening Regional Security
Exercise PRAGATI 2026 is expected to further strengthen military-to-military cooperation, deepen professional bonds, and contribute towards a shared approach to common security challenges among regional partners. At the opening ceremony, Major General Sunil Sheoran, Additional Director General of Infantry, Indian Army, highlighted the importance of collective engagement in addressing contemporary security challenges.
He encouraged all participants to engage with openness, mutual respect, and a willingness to learn from one another's experiences, while emphasizing that the strengths and perspectives brought by each nation would contribute meaningfully towards achieving the collective objectives of the exercise.
Objectives of the Exercise
The objectives include enabling seamless coordination among participating nations in joint operations and identifying common areas of cooperation; sharing expertise and establishing an institutionalized mechanism for exchange of best practices evolved through individual experiences; strengthening defence ties and camaraderie through joint training and cultural exchange; and evolving common concepts for management and sharing of intelligence in a multinational environment.
Showcasing Indigenous Technology
As part of the exercise, Indian technology and defence companies will showcase indigenous equipment and innovations under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, providing a platform for knowledge exchange and highlighting India's growing capabilities in defence production, innovation, and self-reliance.
