New Delhi: The Indian Army is scheduled to host military delegations from 11 friendly nations for the first edition of a multilateral exercise named PRAGATI. The event, which stands for Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region, will take place at the Foreign Training Node in Umroi, Meghalaya, from May 18 to 31. This inaugural exercise is designed to reinforce defence cooperation, enhance interoperability, and strengthen mutual trust among participating regional forces. Invitations were originally extended to 15 countries across South and Southeast Asia, including Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Vietnam, reflecting India’s commitment to collective security and regional stability.
Beyond traditional military drills and wargames, a significant feature of the event is a two-day industry exposition. This showcase, supported by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, aims to highlight indigenous Indian defence hardware to ASEAN nations and other regional partners. The exhibition will focus on cutting-edge technologies such as unmanned aerial systems, autonomous surveillance, robotics, and AI-based capability enhancements. By providing foreign contingents with hands-on experience with Indian-made equipment, the Army seeks to foster deeper industrial partnerships and promote the capabilities of the domestic defence sector.
The exercise will also see participation from the Indian Air Force, the Indian Navy, border guarding forces, and state police units, emphasizing a comprehensive approach to security. The showcased technologies will span a wide range of domains, including electronic warfare, cyber defence, precision ammunition, and human survivability solutions like multispectral camouflage and personal protection gear. This initiative aligns with India’s broader strategy of conducting structured bilateral and multilateral training to boost combat skills and defence diplomacy within the Indian Ocean Region and the extended neighbourhood.
