India Begins Military Exercise With 12 Other Nations In Meghalaya: What PRAGATI 2026 Is All About

Last Updated:May 21, 2026, 10:40 IST

PRAGATI is a multinational military exercise hosted by India that focuses on enhancing cooperation among friendly foreign armies, particularly in counter-terrorism operations.

The Indian Army on Wednesday launched the multinational military exercise – PRAGATI 2026 – at the Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya, bringing together troops from India and 12 partner nations for an intensive counter-terrorism and joint warfare drill.

Taking place in the rugged semi-mountainous and jungle terrain of the Northeast, the exercise comes at a time when India is increasingly positioning itself as a key regional security partner in the Indo-Pacific and South Asian region.

What Is Exercise PRAGATI?

PRAGATI is a multinational military exercise hosted by India that focuses on enhancing cooperation among friendly foreign armies, particularly in counter-terrorism operations, tactical coordination, intelligence-sharing and interoperability during joint missions.

The 2026 edition is being conducted at the strategically located Umroi Military Station near Shillong in Meghalaya, an area chosen because its dense forests, hills and difficult terrain closely resemble conditions in which modern counter-insurgency and anti-terror operations are often carried out.

The exercise is aimed at preparing participating forces for coordinated responses to emerging security threats, especially cross-border terrorism, insurgency, hybrid warfare and jungle combat scenarios.

Which Countries Are Participating?

Apart from India, military contingents from 12 friendly nations are participating:

• Bhutan
• Cambodia
• Indonesia
• Laos
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Myanmar
• Nepal
• Philippines
• Seychelles
• Sri Lanka
• Vietnam

Together with India, the exercise effectively involves 13 countries.

The participating countries largely belong to South Asia and Southeast Asia, regions that face common security concerns including terrorism, maritime insecurity, insurgency networks and transnational crime.

Why Meghalaya Was Chosen

The Northeast has long served as one of India’s most important military training zones because of its terrain and strategic geography.

Umroi Military Station offers dense jungle warfare training areas, semi-mountainous operational zones, heliborne operation facilities, tactical firing ranges, and counter-insurgency simulation infrastructure.

The region’s terrain is considered ideal for rehearsing real-world counter-terror operations involving small teams, rapid troop movement and survival in difficult conditions.

The choice of Meghalaya also highlights New Delhi’s broader push to integrate the Northeast more deeply into India’s strategic and diplomatic outreach toward Southeast Asia under the Act East Policy.

What Will Troops Do Under PRAGATI Exercise?

The exercise is expected to include a wide range of operational drills and tactical missions, including counter-terror operations. Troops will rehearse operations against armed insurgent and terror groups in jungle and semi-urban settings.

Different armies will practise working together under a unified command structure, improving interoperability during multinational missions.

Forces will also conduct building-clearing exercises and hostage rescue simulations.

The exercise includes rapid troop insertion and extraction using helicopters in difficult terrain.

Troops will also train in combat casualty management and evacuation during active operations.

Modern military operations increasingly rely on real-time intelligence coordination among partner forces, a key aspect likely to be emphasised during PRAGATI 2026.

Reports say the exercise will culminate in a high-intensity validation mission designed to test endurance, planning and coordination under simulated combat conditions.

Why The PRAGATI Exercise Matters

PRAGATI 2026 is more than just a military training event. It also carries strong geopolitical and diplomatic significance.

Strengthening India’s regional influence: By hosting a large multinational exercise, India reinforces its image as a net security provider in the Indo-Pacific region.

Expanding defence diplomacy: Exercises like PRAGATI help India deepen military ties with ASEAN countries and neighbouring nations without entering formal military alliances.

Countering evolving security threats: Many participating countries face similar challenges such as insurgency, extremism, piracy and organised transnational networks. Joint training helps create common operational understanding.

Enhancing interoperability: In future humanitarian crises, UN peacekeeping missions or multinational security operations, participating armies can work together more effectively because of such exercises.

Strategic signalling: The drill also sends a broader message about growing defence cooperation among regional partners at a time of increasing geopolitical competition in the Indo-Pacific.

India’s Growing Push For Multinational Military Exercises

PRAGATI is part of India’s wider effort to host and participate in large-scale multinational defence engagements.

In recent years, India has expanded exercises across all three services:

• Exercise Malabar with the US, Japan and Australia
• MILAN naval exercise hosted by the Indian Navy
• Tarang Shakti multinational air exercise
• BIMSTEC military cooperation initiatives

These exercises reflect India’s growing emphasis on joint operations, regional security partnerships and military diplomacy.

Indigenous Defence Technologies Also In Focus

Apart from field drills, PRAGATI 2026 is also expected to showcase India’s growing indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Defence industry exhibitions linked to the exercise are likely to feature Indian-made surveillance systems, protective equipment, communication technologies and tactical platforms.

This gives India an opportunity to position itself not only as a military partner but also as a potential defence manufacturing and export hub for friendly countries.

PRAGATI 2026 reflects how modern military exercises are no longer limited to battlefield training alone. They now combine strategic signalling, diplomatic outreach, intelligence cooperation and defence industrial engagement.

For India, hosting such an exercise in Meghalaya carries both symbolic and strategic weight – showcasing the Northeast as a key gateway to Southeast Asia while reinforcing India’s ambition to play a larger security role across the Indo-Pacific.

News explainers India Begins Military Exercise With 12 Other Nations In Meghalaya: What PRAGATI 2026 Is All About

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