Shillong: Multilateral military exercise PRAGATI 2026 commenced at Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district on Wednesday, with participation from 12 friendly nations — Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.“The two-week exercise will focus on counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain. The training programme will include joint planning exercises, tactical-level drills and coordinated operations designed to improve adaptability, endurance and tactical proficiency of participating troops,” a defence statement said.“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 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,” the statement added.“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,” the defence said.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 highlighting that the strengths and perspectives brought by each nation would contribute meaningfully towards achieving the collective objectives of the exercise,” the statement said.“The objectives of the exercise 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,” the statement elaborated.“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,” it added.
