Indian Army Launches PRAGATI 2026 With 12 Nations

New Delhi: The Indian Army on Wednesday started the multilateral military exercise PRAGATI 2026 at Umroi Military Station with participation from 12 countries.

The participating nations include Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

The two-week exercise will focus on counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain, with joint planning, tactical drills and coordinated operations aimed at enhancing interoperability and operational readiness.

The opening ceremony was attended by senior military officials and dignitaries.

PRAGATI — Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region — is being conducted to promote professional exchange and strengthen military cooperation among participating countries.

Major General Sunil Sheoran said, “He encouraged all participants to engage with openness, mutual respect and a willingness to learn from one another’s experiences, while highlighting that the strengths and perspectives brought by each nation would contribute meaningfully towards achieving the collective objectives of the exercise.”

The exercise aims to enhance coordination in joint operations, share best practices, strengthen defence ties and develop common approaches to intelligence sharing in a multinational environment.

As part of the programme, Indian defence companies will showcase indigenous equipment under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, highlighting domestic capabilities in defence production.

The exercise is expected to strengthen military cooperation and operational coordination among participating nations.