Guwahati
A multinational military exercise involving armed forces personnel from 13 countries commenced in Meghalaya on Wednesday, with a primary focus on counter-terrorism operations in difficult terrain, defence officials said.
According to Defence PRO Lieutenant Colonel Mahender Rawat, the joint exercise, titled ‘PRAGATI 2026’, began at the Umroi Military Station with participation from 12 friendly nations alongside India — Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
The two-week exercise is aimed at enhancing coordination and operational preparedness in semi-mountainous and jungle environments. Training modules include joint operational planning, tactical drills and coordinated counter-terror missions to improve the adaptability, endurance and combat efficiency of participating troops.
Rawat said the exercise would place strong emphasis on physical fitness, discipline and teamwork while operating under challenging field conditions.
He added that Indian defence and technology firms would also display indigenous military equipment and innovations developed under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The showcase is intended to facilitate knowledge-sharing and demonstrate India’s growing self-reliance and capabilities in defence manufacturing and innovation.
The exercise seeks to improve interoperability among participating armies, promote the exchange of operational expertise and create institutional mechanisms for sharing best practices evolved through different military experiences.
Officials said the programme would also focus on strengthening defence cooperation and camaraderie through joint training sessions and cultural interactions, while developing common approaches to intelligence sharing and multinational operational management.
The acronym PRAGATI stands for “Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region” and is being conducted in the spirit of mutual respect, friendship and equality among participating nations.
The Indian Army accorded a traditional welcome to all participating contingents upon their arrival. Senior military officials and dignitaries attended the opening ceremony.
Sunil Sheoran, Additional Director General of Infantry, welcomed the participating teams and stressed the importance of collective efforts in tackling emerging security challenges.
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He urged all participants to engage openly and learn from each other’s operational experiences, noting that the diverse strengths and perspectives of each nation would contribute significantly towards achieving the exercise’s objectives.
