Multilateral military exercise 'PRAGATI' concludes with 72-hour validation drill

New Delhi, May 30 (PTI) Focused on counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain, the maiden edition of multilateral military exercise ‘PRAGATI’ has concluded with a 72-hour validation drill, showcasing participants’ interoperability and mutual trust to address common security challenges, officials said on Saturday.

Exercise PRAGATI — ‘Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region’ — had begun on May 20 at Umroi Military Station, Meghalaya.

Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth, Vice Chief of the Army Staff, hosted the dignitaries from all participating countries.

On the sidelines of the exercise, Seth held constructive bilateral meetings with representatives of participating countries to further defence

cooperation. These interactions enhanced mutual understanding and strengthened military-to-military relations among the participating armies, officials said.

The maiden edition of the exercise concluded with “a 72-hour validation exercise, showcasing the interoperability, mutual trust, and collective resolve of the participating armed forces to address common security challenges”, the defence ministry said in a statement.

The event was attended by six vice chiefs and over 40 senior military officials from the 13 participating friendly foreign countries.

The exercise brought together more than 400 troops from India, Bhutan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia and Laos, it said.

It was conducted in the spirit of equality, friendship and mutual respect, providing a common platform for regional partners to exchange experiences, share best practices and strengthen military-to-military cooperation, officials said.

“The exercise focused on counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain. After extensive training through lectures, demonstrations, practices and special skills, the participants executed the 72-hour validation exercise, which consolidated the training outcomes and demonstrated the operational synergy achieved during the exercise,” the ministry said.

The training covered a wide range of activities including rock craft, ambush and counter-ambush drills, slithering, jungle lane shooting, room and bus intervention, IED detection, casualty evacuation and other specialised skills.

Mixed teams comprising personnel from participating nations trained together, enhancing interoperability, capacity building and mutual trust, it said.

“A key highlight of the exercise was the spirit of camaraderie and soldierly bonding displayed by all participants. The personnel roughed it out together through demanding training conditions, reinforcing the common soldierly spirit that binds armed forces across nations,” the ministry said.

The exercise also provided opportunities for cultural exchange and informal interaction, further strengthening professional and personal bonds.

As part of the exercise, the Indian Army, in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), organised a defence equipment display for the participating partner nations, according to the ministry.

The initiative highlighted India’s growing indigenous defence design, development and manufacturing capabilities under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and provided a valuable platform for promoting defence exports through industry engagement, collaboration, and knowledge exchange, officials said.

“This maiden edition of Exercise PRAGATI has laid a strong foundation for like-minded nations striving for a peaceful, prosperous and secure region, and serves as a precursor to future editions of the exercise,” it added. PTI KND PRK