Shillong, May 20: A two-week multinational military exercise involving defence personnel from 13 countries commenced at Umroi Military Station on Wednesday, focusing on counter-terrorism operations in jungle and semi-mountainous terrain.
Named PRAGATI 2026, the exercise has brought together troops from India and 12 partner nations — Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
According to Defence PRO Mahender Rawat, the joint exercise has been designed to improve interoperability and coordination among participating forces through tactical drills, joint planning activities and simulated counter-terror operations under challenging terrain conditions.
Training activities during the programme will focus on endurance, adaptability, discipline and operational coordination in demanding environments. Officials said the exercise provides an opportunity for participating armies to exchange experiences and develop common approaches to emerging regional security challenges.
As part of the event, the Indian Army will showcase indigenous defence systems and innovations developed under the Centre’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The exhibition is expected to facilitate interactions between international contingents and Indian defence manufacturers while highlighting India’s expanding domestic defence capabilities.
Military authorities stated that the broader objective of the exercise is to strengthen regional defence partnerships, improve intelligence-sharing mechanisms and enhance long-term cooperation among participating countries. Cultural programmes and professional exchanges have also been incorporated to strengthen military-to-military engagement.
PRAGATI, which stands for “Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region”, has been described by officials as a collaborative effort aimed at promoting cooperation based on shared security interests, equality and mutual respect.
Senior military officials and dignitaries attended the inaugural ceremony, where Sunil Sheoran welcomed participating contingents and stressed the importance of collective action in addressing evolving security challenges. He encouraged troops to learn from one another’s operational experiences, stating that multinational participation would contribute towards building coordinated responses to common threats across the region.
