PRAGATI 2026 Concludes in Meghalaya With 72‑Hour Validation Drill

Overview

• The inaugural PRAGATI exercise concluded on Saturday, May 30, with a 72‑hour validation drill that the Indian Defence Ministry said demonstrated interoperability and mutual trust among participating forces.
• Officials said more than 400 troops from 13 countries trained together though at least one local report put the count at 14 and separate reporting said Bangladesh, despite initial interest, did not send a team.
• Training focused on counter‑terrorism and counter‑insurgency in semi‑mountainous and jungle terrain and included rock craft, helicopter slithering, ambush and counter‑ambush drills, room and bus intervention, IED detection, and casualty evacuation.
• The Indian Army, working with the Army Design Bureau and FICCI, staged a defence equipment display to showcase indigenous systems under the Atmanirbhar Bharat push and to promote industry collaboration and exports.
• Organisers and participating delegations say the exercise strengthens military ties and collective readiness in the Bay of Bengal–Indo‑Pacific arc while participation choices, such as Bangladesh’s absence, carry diplomatic signals to watch for in future editions.