13-nation Pragati 2026 military exercise begins in Meghalaya

India hosts and participates in a spectrum of bilateral and multilateral exercises across all three services. Multilateral exercises serve four strategic purposes: 1. Interoperability: Standardising tactics, communications, and procedures with partner forces. 2. Security diplomacy: Signalling alignment and building defence relationships beyond formal alliances. 3. Capacity building: Transferring India's operational experience in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism to smaller partner militaries. 4. Strategic messaging: Demonstrating India's role as a net security provider in its extended neighbourhood — the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

MILEX format: Multilateral exercises (MILEX) typically involve a larger number of countries than bilateral exercises; they are often hosted at a central location, combine command-post and field training elements, and produce shared standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Key multilateral exercises involving India: - MILAN: Multilateral naval exercise; hosted by India; focuses on IOR maritime security. - Tasman Saber: With Australia and others. - Shakti (France–India): Bilateral but with multilateral components. - DUSTLIK (India–Uzbekistan): Counter-terrorism focus. - PRAGATI: Land forces; IOR/Indo-Pacific partner armies; Northeast India terrain.

Umroi Military Station is located approximately 30 km from Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya. It serves as a key cantonment for Indian Army forces deployed in the Northeast and is under the Eastern Command.

Strategic significance of Northeast India: - The region shares borders with China (Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim), Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar — five international borders. - It is India's land bridge to Southeast Asia under the Act East Policy (formerly Look East Policy). - Terrain — dense jungle, semi-mountainous, river valleys — closely mirrors the operational environment in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and parts of Indonesia and the Philippines. - The "Chicken's Neck" (Siliguri Corridor, ~22 km wide) is the only land link between Northeast India and the rest of the country — a strategic vulnerability. - The region has historically experienced insurgencies by various ethnic armed groups; counter-insurgency expertise built here is transferable to partner nations dealing with similar internal security challenges.

Key Details

• Umroi: Ri-Bhoi district, Meghalaya; ~30 km from Shillong.
• Eastern Command: headquarters Fort William, Kolkata; covers Northeast and eastern borders.
• Act East Policy: announced 2014; deepens India's strategic and economic engagement with ASEAN and the broader Indo-Pacific.
• Northeast border states: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Sikkim.

Act East Policy (AEP): India's strategic doctrine for deepening engagement with Southeast Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific. Announced in 2014, it upgrades the earlier "Look East Policy" (1991) with a sharper defence and security dimension alongside trade and connectivity.

India as Net Security Provider in the IOR: India has articulated its role as a first responder and net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region — through mechanisms like: - IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association): 23-member grouping. - Quad (India, USA, Japan, Australia): Indo-Pacific security coordination. - SAARC and BIMSTEC: South and Southeast Asian multilateral forums. - Defence diplomacy: Training partner militaries, joint exercises, capacity building, defence exports.

Counter-terrorism in the IOR context: Several PRAGATI participant nations — the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia — face active jihadist or separatist armed groups. Myanmar faces ongoing armed conflict. Sharing India's expertise in jungle and semi-mountainous counter-terrorism operations is a tangible capacity-building contribution.

Key Details

• PRAGATI full form: Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region.
• Participating nations (13 total): India + Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Vietnam.
• Focus: joint counter-terrorism; building-clearing; hostage rescue; heliborne insertion; CASEVAC.
• Terrain: semi-mountainous and jungle — mirrors operational conditions of most partner nations.
• Duration: two weeks (from May 20, 2026).
• Venue: Umroi Military Station, Meghalaya.
• IORA members: 23; India is a founding and leading member.