By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 30: The maiden edition of Exercise PRAGATI 2026 concluded at Umroi Military Station on Saturday following a 72-hour validation exercise that tested the collective readiness of 14 participating nations to tackle regional security challenges.
PRAGATI (Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region) brought together more than 400 troops from India, Bhutan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia and Laos.
The closing ceremony was attended by six Vice Chiefs and over 40 senior military officials from the participating countries, hosted by Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
The exercise focused on counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain. Training modules included rock craft, ambush and counter-ambush drills, slithering, jungle lane shooting, room intervention and improvised explosive device (IED) detection.
The final validation phase consolidated these skills through operations conducted by mixed teams comprising personnel from different countries.
Officials stated the integrated training improved interoperability and allowed participating armies to share operational experiences and best practices.
Alongside the tactical drills, the Indian Army, in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), organised an exhibition of indigenous defence technology.
The display featured advanced systems developed under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, intended to promote defence exports and knowledge sharing.
On the sidelines of the event, Lt Gen Seth held bilateral meetings with foreign representatives to discuss expanding defence cooperation in the region.
