India is hosting a mega multinational military exercise named 'PRAGATI 2026' in Umroi, Meghalaya. The exercise brings together armies from across the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region for joint training and coordination.
What is PRAGATI 2026?
PRAGATI stands for Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region. It is designed to enhance military cooperation and interoperability among participating nations.
Participating Nations
Troops from 12 friendly foreign nations have joined India for the exercise: Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.
Why Umroi in Meghalaya?
The Umroi region in Meghalaya was chosen for this drill as it offers ideal terrain for jungle warfare, tactical drills, and multinational combat coordination. The advanced training infrastructure includes a joint warfare centre, reflex shooting ranges, obstacle courses, heliborne zones, and jungle warfare areas.
Training Activities
Soldiers are conducting jungle operations, room intervention drills, fire-and-move tactics, and casualty evacuation exercises under realistic battlefield conditions. Special emphasis is placed on air mobility and rapid response drills, including heliborne missions, rapid troop insertion, and coordinated operations in difficult terrain.
Validation Exercise
The exercise will culminate in a high-intensity 72-hour multinational mission designed to test coordination, endurance, and interoperability among the participating forces.
India's Regional Role
Exercise PRAGATI 2026 reflects India's growing role in promoting stability, trust, and defence collaboration across the Indo-Pacific region. It underscores India's commitment to regional security and military cooperation.
