Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, Vice Chief of the Army Staff, engaged in a series of significant bilateral discussions with Vice Chiefs and senior military delegation heads from various friendly nations during Exercise PRAGATI 2026. This collaborative military initiative underscored India’s dedication to enhancing regional defence cooperation, military diplomacy, and fostering shared security partnerships across the Indian Ocean Region.
The bilateral meetings included senior military leaders and delegation heads from Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. These engagements provided a platform for exchanging insights on mutual security challenges, thereby enhancing strategic understanding and exploring new avenues for defence collaboration among the participating nations.
Exercise PRAGATI 2026, formally recognized as the Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region, is the inaugural edition of a multilateral military exercise hosted by the Indian Army at Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya. This event saw the participation of over 400 troops from India and allied countries, including Bhutan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Laos.
A core focus of the exercise was on bolstering interoperability, operational coordination, and fostering mutual trust among the armies. Training sessions specifically targeted counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous and jungle terrains, culminating in a 72-hour validation exercise that examined the collective readiness and tactical synergy of the forces.
Lieutenant General Seth’s discussions with the senior military figures emphasized India’s evolving role as a dependable security partner within the region. Key topics of discussion included enhancing military-to-military relations, improving interoperability, sharing best practices, and identifying potential collaborations in training and capacity building.
These dialogues held broader strategic implications, reaffirming India’s commitment to ensuring peace, stability, and growth in the Indian Ocean Region. Given that many of the involved nations are pivotal maritime and regional partners, Exercise PRAGATI 2026 not only served as a military training platform but also a significant venue for high-level defence diplomacy.
Furthermore, the Indian Army showcased indigenous defence equipment and advanced technologies during the exercise, in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Army Design Bureau. This display showcased India’s advancement in defence manufacturing capabilities, allowing participating nations to observe cutting-edge equipment developed by the Indian defence industry.
The engagements demonstrated a robust spirit of partnership, trust, and shared objectives among the regional armies. By uniting military leaders and personnel across multiple nations, Exercise PRAGATI 2026 has significantly bolstered India’s defence outreach, reinforcing its position as a reliable partner committed to collective security and regional collaboration.
The inaugural session of Exercise PRAGATI 2026 has set a strong precedent for future iterations of the event. It illustrates India’s vision of collaborating closely with like-minded countries to foster a peaceful, secure, and prosperous Indian Ocean Region through enhanced cooperation, interoperability, and mutual respect.
