Umroi (Meghalaya), May 31: At least 52 defence companies from 12 countries showcased their assets including UAVs and counter-UAV systems, surveillance and smart monitoring at an exhibition here in the North Eastern State of Meghalaya.
The exhibition, organised jointly by the Indian Army and FICCI chamber of commerce, also showcased other defence equipments like secure communications, armament and ammunition, autonomous and robotic systems, AI-enabled defence solutions, electronic warfare, cyber defence, and medical survivability equipment.
The exhibition was held alongside the first-ever Multilateral Joint Exercise PRAGATI — an acronym for Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region.
The two-day exposition was inaugurated by Vice Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth yesterday in the presence of senior military leadership and representatives from participating nations.
Participating friendly foreign countries include Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.
Senior military delegations, defence attachés, procurement heads, and strategic stakeholders from these nations are engaging directly with Indian industry across indoor and outdoor display areas designed to deliver a world-class exhibition experience.
Of the 52 participating organisations, 47 are private-sector defence companies — including MSMEs and start-ups — alongside five Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), reflecting the depth of India’s emerging private defence industrial base.
Specific capabilities on display include ISR and loitering munition drones, swarm technologies, anti-drone systems, artillery guns, air defence platforms, multi-barrel rocket launch systems, robotic mules, unmanned ground and maritime vehicles, thermal and night-vision devices, precision ammunition, simulators, and ruggedised cyber-hardened platforms.
Structured as a Business-to-Government (B2G) engagement platform, the exposition enabled direct interaction between Indian industry representatives and senior military leadership from partner nations.
A dedicated networking reception with vice chiefs and senior delegates from participating countries has been organised to facilitate strategic dialogue and lay the groundwork for future defence cooperation.
The second day of the exposition marked extension of engagement to Central Armed Police Forces and state police organisations, broadening the scope to include homeland security requirements, modernisation priorities, and indigenous technology solutions for internal security — a dimension that reinforces India’s ambition to serve regional security needs beyond conventional military supply.
