Exercise PRAGATI 2026 Wraps Up in Meghalaya, Enhancing Regional Military Collaboration
The first edition of Exercise PRAGATI 2026, an initiative aimed at fostering cooperation among regional armies in the Indian Ocean Region, concluded at the Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya. The event featured a rigorous 72-hour validation exercise, which demonstrated the participating forces' ability to work together, their mutual trust, and their commitment to tackling common security issues.
Organized by the Indian Army, the multinational exercise saw participation from over 400 troops representing 13 countries, including India, Bhutan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Laos.
The closing ceremony was graced by six Vice Chiefs and more than 40 senior military officials from the participating countries. Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, hosted the event, welcoming distinguished delegates and military leaders.
The exercise focused on counter-terrorism operations within semi-mountainous and jungle terrains, highlighting the operational challenges prevalent across the region.
Participants engaged in comprehensive training sessions that included lectures, demonstrations, and practical exercises before the final validation. The training covered various skills, such as rock climbing, ambush and counter-ambush tactics, slithering operations, jungle lane shooting, room and bus intervention techniques, improvised explosive device detection, casualty evacuation, and other specialized combat skills.
Mixed teams, comprising personnel from different nations, trained together throughout the exercise, which significantly improved interoperability, operational coordination, and mutual understanding among the armies involved.
Exercise PRAGATI 2026 was marked by a strong sense of camaraderie and professional bonding among soldiers from the various participating nations. Training under challenging conditions, the participants built mutual trust and reinforced shared military values.
The exercise also facilitated cultural exchanges and informal interactions, which helped strengthen military-to-military relations and fostered connections among the people of the participating countries.
In conjunction with the exercise, the Indian Army, in partnership with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, organized a defence equipment exhibition for visiting delegations.
The exhibition showcased advanced indigenous defence systems and emerging technologies developed under India's Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Facilitated by the Army Design Bureau and FICCI, the event demonstrated several new-generation systems currently in service with the Indian Army.
This initiative underscored India's growing capabilities in defence design, development, and manufacturing, while also creating opportunities for defence cooperation, industry engagement, and export promotion.
On the sidelines of the exercise, Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth conducted bilateral meetings with representatives from participating nations to explore avenues for expanding defence cooperation and strengthening military partnerships.
These discussions contributed to a deeper strategic understanding and reinforced India's commitment to regional security cooperation and capacity building.
Officials described Exercise PRAGATI 2026 as a landmark in enhancing collective readiness and strengthening security partnerships in the Indian Ocean Region.
The successful conclusion of the inaugural edition has laid a solid foundation for future exercises, reflecting the shared commitment of the participating nations to promote peace, stability, security, and prosperity across the region.
The exercise also reaffirmed India's expanding role as a key facilitator of regional military cooperation and defence diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region.
