Shillong, May 30 (IANS) The multilateral military exercise Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in IOR (PRAGATI) 2026 concluded with a reinforced collective commitment towards peace, stability, and security in the Indian Ocean Region, the Indian Army said on Saturday.
Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS), along with Vice Chiefs and senior military leaders from participating nations, witnessed the final validation exercise and closing ceremony of the maiden edition of Multilateral Military Exercise PRAGATI 2026 at Uoi, Meghalaya. The event marked the successful culmination of a landmark multinational engagement, the Army wrote on X.Bringing together over 400 troops from 12 Friendly Foreign Countries, the exercise fostered camaraderie and enhanced operational synergy. Conducted in the spirit of partnership and shared responsibility, PRAGATI reinforced the collective commitment towards peace, stability, and security in the Indian Ocean Region, the Army added.The two-week-long exercise brought together participants from Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam to strengthen regional cooperation, interoperability, and strategic coordination among the participating countries.Participating nations also witnessed an indigenous defence industry demonstration. It highlighted India’s growing technological and defence manufacturing capabilities and underscored the nation’s commitment towards Atmanirbhar Bharat and indigenous solutions for future-ready military operations.The exercise focused on counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain.“As part of PRAGATI 2026, we trained in tactical environments where key engineering tasks were carried out, and best practices were shared between contingents. We conducted counter-IED operations and drills, room intervention drills, MVCP drills, and supported counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in simulated combat environments,” Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers officer Major Susmitha S. Variar told reporters on Friday.ksk
