MULTILATERAL EXERCISE PRAGATI 2026 COMMENCES AT UMROI, MEGHALAYA
Multilateral military exercise PRAGATI 2026 commenced at the Foreign Training Node, Umroi Military Station, Meghalaya, with participation from 12 friendly na...
What Happened
- Multilateral military exercise PRAGATI 2026 commenced at the Foreign Training Node, Umroi Military Station, Meghalaya, with participation from 12 friendly nations.
- Participating nations: Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.
- The exercise spans two weeks and focuses on counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain.
- Training activities include: joint planning exercises, tactical-level drills, and coordinated operations designed to improve adaptability, endurance, and tactical proficiency.
- Indian defence technology and defence companies are showcasing indigenous equipment and innovations under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative as part of the exercise.
- The exercise aims to strengthen defence cooperation, enhance interoperability, and build mutual trust among participating nations from South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean island states.
Static Topic Bridges
Exercise PRAGATI: Background and Significance
PRAGATI is an acronym for Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region. It is a multilateral military exercise hosted by the Indian Army, focused on building joint counter-terrorism capabilities among regional partners.
- Full name: Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region
- Host: Indian Army (at Foreign Training Node, Umroi Military Station, Meghalaya)
- Exercise type: Multilateral land forces exercise
- Terrain focus: Semi-mountainous and jungle terrain (relevant to Northeast India and ASEAN operational environments)
- Primary focus: Counter-terrorism operations, tactical interoperability
- Participants (2026): 12 nations — Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Vietnam
- Duration: Two weeks
- Associated activities: Indigenous defence equipment showcases (Atmanirbhar Bharat)
Connection to this news: PRAGATI 2026 is a direct operational manifestation of India's Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific strategy — bringing together ASEAN-member militaries and South Asian/Indian Ocean partners for joint training under Indian auspices.
Umroi Military Station and Northeast India's Strategic Significance
Umroi Military Station is located in Meghalaya, Northeast India, and hosts India's Foreign Training Node — the dedicated facility for international military training events.
- Location: Umroi, Ri-Bhoi district, Meghalaya (~40 km from Guwahati, Assam)
- Host facility: Foreign Training Node (the Indian Army's dedicated international exercise hub in the Northeast)
- Strategic significance of Northeast India:
- Shares borders with China (Arunachal Pradesh), Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar
- Gateway to Southeast Asia under Act East Policy
- Terrain (jungle, hilly) mirrors operational environments relevant to ASEAN partners
- Site of India's counter-insurgency experience (COIN), making it relevant for CT doctrine sharing
- Meghalaya: Part of the "Seven Sisters" of Northeast India; shares a 443 km border with Bangladesh
Connection to this news: Hosting PRAGATI at Umroi signals India's intent to use its Northeast as a platform for regional defence engagement — the terrain-specific training has direct operational relevance for ASEAN partners facing similar security environments.
India's Multilateral Military Exercises: Comparative Context
India conducts a large portfolio of bilateral and multilateral military exercises, which serve as instruments of defence diplomacy, interoperability building, and strategic signalling.
| Exercise | Partners | Service | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRAGATI | 12 regional nations | Army | CT, jungle/mountain ops |
| MALABAR | USA, Japan (+ Australia since 2020) | Navy | Maritime security, ASW |
| TASMAN SABER | Australia, USA | Army/Joint | Warfighting |
| DHARMA GUARDIAN | Japan | Army | CT, jungle ops |
| SHAKTI | France | Army | CT, desert/mountain |
| MILAN | Multilateral navies | Navy | Maritime cooperation |
| GARUDA SHAKTI | Indonesia | Army | CT |
| HAND IN HAND | China | Army | CT (suspended post-2020 tensions) |
| SURYA KIRAN | Nepal | Army | Mountain warfare, CT |
- India conducts 50+ bilateral and multilateral exercises annually
- ADMM-Plus (ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus): India is a Plus-country; co-chairs expert groups
- India-ASEAN Maritime Exercise 2026: Designated part of ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation
Connection to this news: PRAGATI sits within a broader strategic pattern of India positioning itself as a security provider and training hub for the Indo-Pacific, particularly for smaller ASEAN and Indian Ocean states.
Act East Policy and Military Diplomacy
India's Act East Policy (AEP), launched in 2014 as an upgrade of the earlier Look East Policy (1991), prioritises deepening economic, cultural, and security engagement with Southeast Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific.
- Look East Policy launched: 1991 (under PM Narasimha Rao)
- Act East Policy: Announced at the East Asia Summit (EAS), November 2014 — upgraded from "Look" to "Act" signalling operational intent
- Three pillars: Commerce (trade and investment), Culture (civilisational links), Connectivity (physical and digital)
- Security dimension: Defence exercises, ship visits, capacity building with ASEAN navies, appointment of Defence Attachés
- Key platforms: ASEAN, EAS, ARF (ASEAN Regional Forum), ADMM-Plus, Quad, BIMSTEC
- Northeast India as the land bridge: Physical connectivity projects (Kaladan Multi-modal Transit, India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway) position the Northeast as the gateway to Southeast Asia
- ASEAN-India: India became ASEAN's Strategic Partner in 2022
Connection to this news: PRAGATI 2026's 12-nation roster — drawn almost entirely from ASEAN member states, plus South Asian and Indian Ocean partners — is a direct operational expression of Act East Policy's security dimension. Hosting the exercise in Meghalaya underscores the Northeast-as-gateway vision.
Atmanirbhar Bharat in Defence
The Atmanirbhar Bharat ("Self-Reliant India") initiative in defence aims to reduce India's dependence on imported defence equipment and develop a domestic defence-industrial base.
- Announced: May 2020 (post-COVID economic package)
- Defence-specific measures: Positive indigenisation lists (PILs) banning imports of listed items; Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 prioritises "Make in India"
- iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence): Funds startups and MSMEs for defence innovation
- Defence exports target: ₹35,000 crore by 2025 (upgraded from earlier ₹5,000 crore target)
- OFB (Ordnance Factory Board) corporatised into 7 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs)
- PRAGATI 2026 showcases: Indian defence companies displaying indigenous equipment — relevant both as capability demonstration and potential export outreach to partner nations
Connection to this news: The integrated defence showcase at PRAGATI 2026 turns a training exercise into a defence diplomacy and export-outreach event, consistent with India's defence export expansion strategy under Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Key Facts & Data
- PRAGATI full form: Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region
- Location: Umroi Military Station, Meghalaya (Foreign Training Node)
- Duration: Two weeks
- Participants (2026): 12 nations — Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Vietnam
- Exercise focus: Counter-terrorism in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain
- Act East Policy launched: 2014 (EAS, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar)
- Look East Policy launched: 1991
- India-ASEAN Strategic Partnership: 2022
- ADMM-Plus: India is one of 8 Dialogue Partners (with US, China, Japan, Australia, South Korea, NZ, Russia)
- India conducts 50+ military exercises annually with partner countries
- Atmanirbhar Bharat defence exports target: ₹35,000 crore