India Hosts PRAGATI 2026 Military Exercise
New Delhi: The Indian Army on Wednesday commenced the multinational military exercise PRAGATI 2026 at the Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya. The large-scale drill has brought together troops from India and 12 partner nations for intensive training focused on counter-terrorism operations, joint warfare coordination and tactical interoperability.
The exercise is being conducted in the challenging semi-mountainous and jungle terrain of Northeast India, a region considered ideal for simulating real-world counter-insurgency and anti-terror scenarios. The initiative also underlines India’s growing efforts to strengthen regional security partnerships across South Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
Military contingents from Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Vietnam are participating alongside Indian forces. Together, the exercise involves 13 countries working on coordinated military operations and intelligence-sharing mechanisms.
Most of the participating nations face common regional security concerns such as terrorism, insurgency, maritime threats and organised transnational crime. The exercise aims to create better coordination among partner armies during future multinational operations.
The Umroi Military Station near Shillong was selected because of its dense forests, rugged hills and operational training infrastructure. The region provides realistic conditions for practising jungle warfare, rapid troop movement and survival operations in difficult terrain.
Military officials believe the Northeast offers one of the best environments for rehearsing modern counter-terror missions involving small tactical units and coordinated assault teams. The location also reflects India’s broader Act East Policy, which seeks stronger strategic engagement with Southeast Asian nations.
PRAGATI 2026 will feature several operational drills, including building-clearing missions, hostage rescue simulations, heliborne troop insertion and combat casualty evacuation exercises. Troops will also train under a unified command structure to improve interoperability during multinational missions.
Reports suggest the exercise will conclude with a high-intensity validation mission designed to test endurance, coordination and battlefield planning under simulated combat conditions.
Beyond military training, PRAGATI 2026 highlights India’s expanding defence diplomacy and its ambition to emerge as a major regional security partner. The exercise is also expected to showcase indigenous defence technologies developed under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, including surveillance systems, communication platforms and tactical equipment.
Officials view the exercise as an important strategic signal of growing cooperation among Indo-Pacific partners amid evolving geopolitical and security challenges.
