Shillong/Umroi, May 30 (NVI): The maiden edition of the multinational military exercise PRAGATI 2026 concluded at the Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya with a 72-hour validation exercise, showcasing enhanced interoperability, mutual trust and operational coordination among the participating countries, officials said on Saturday.
The exercise, titled Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region (PRAGATI), brought together over 400 military personnel from 13 countries, including India, Bhutan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia and Laos.
Senior military officials said the exercise focused on counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain, with troops undergoing extensive training in specialised skills before participating in the final validation phase.
The training included rock craft, ambush and counter-ambush drills, slithering operations, jungle lane shooting, room and bus intervention exercises, improvised explosive device (IED) detection and casualty evacuation procedures.
The concluding event was attended by six Vice Chiefs and more than 40 senior military officers from the participating nations. The delegations were hosted by Vice Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth.
Officials said mixed teams comprising personnel from different countries trained together throughout the exercise, helping improve interoperability, capacity building and professional cooperation.
The exercise also featured a defence equipment display organised by the Indian Army in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), showcasing indigenous defence technologies and next-generation military equipment developed under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
On the sidelines of the exercise, Lt Gen Seth held bilateral meetings with representatives of participating countries to discuss avenues for expanding defence cooperation and strengthening military ties.
Officials said the exercise has laid a strong foundation for future editions and contributed significantly to enhancing collective readiness, regional cooperation and mutual trust among partner nations in the Indian Ocean Region.(NVI)
