India To Host Mega Multinational Army Exercise ‘PRAGATI’ In Meghalaya

India is set to host a major multinational military exercise, PRAGATI, in Meghalaya from May 20 to 29. It will bring together more than a dozen countries from Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean Region in what is being seen as a significant strategic outreach in the Indo-Pacific.

PRAGATI, which stands for Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region, will see the participation of armies from Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, and the Philippines.

The exercise comes at a time of growing strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific with India intensifying efforts to deepen military and diplomatic engagement with regional partners. CNN-News18

had first reported in February about the planning and scale of the exercise.

The multinational drill will focus on counter-terrorism operations, jungle warfare, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and improving interoperability between participating armies. Officials say the exercise is aimed at enhancing coordination among partner nations while also building trust and synergy.

Apart from the field exercise, there is also a defence industry and strategic dialogue component planned alongside PRAGATI. On May 29, Vice Chief-level military officers from participating countries are expected to gather for high-level discussions on regional security cooperation and defence collaboration.

The choice of Meghalaya as the venue is also significant given the region’s terrain and its proximity to Southeast Asia, making it suitable for jungle warfare and operational coordination exercises.

The exercise is a broader Indo-Pacific outreach at a time when China continues to expand its military and strategic footprint across the region. Through PRAGATI, India is signalling its intent to strengthen regional partnerships and reinforce its presence in the Indo-Pacific security architecture.