PRAGATI 2026: India has started the multilateral military exercise PRAGATI 2026 at Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya on May 20, 2026. The drill has brought together troops from 12 friendly nations and the Indian Army welcomed them in a warm and traditional way. PRAGATI stands for “Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region.”
Countries taking part
The 12 countries joining India are Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. The exercise is meant to give all the armies one common place to learn from each other and work more closely together. Senior military officials were present at the opening ceremony too.
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What the Exercise is trying to do
PRAGATI 2026 is built around joint military coordination, counter-terror work, tactical teamwork, and better defence cooperation. The official aim is to help the armies work smoothly in joint operations, share good practices, and build stronger military ties. It also includes ideas for sharing intelligence in a multinational setting.
Umroi in Meghalaya is a good place for this kind of drill because the land fits jungle warfare and semi-mountain training. The area gives realistic ground for tactical movement, tough physical training, and other battlefield-style practice. The exercise will run for two weeks and will focus on counter-terrorism in jungle and semi-mountain terrain.
What soldiers will train on?
The training plan includes joint planning, tactical drills, and coordinated operations. Soldiers will also work on endurance, discipline, and fast response in hard conditions. Reports on the exercise say the drill will include jungle operations, room-clearing style training, casualty evacuation, heliborne missions, rapid troop movement, and a final 72-hour high-intensity mission to test teamwork and stamina.
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PRAGATI 2026 also fits into India’s wider defence and diplomacy push. The Army has said the exercise is being held in the spirit of equality, friendship, and mutual respect. It also gives space for Indian technology and defence companies to show indigenous equipment under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat idea.
