Bangladesh Opts Out of India's Multinational 'Exercise Pragati'

Bangladesh has opted to not join India’s maiden endeavor to conduct a joint exercise of the militaries of friendly foreign countries. Confirming the absence of Bangladesh military personnel from Exercise Pragati, a source said, "The invitation was extended to around 15 countries, including Bangladesh."In the initial phase there was a positive response from the Bangladesh side, but eventually no team was sent to participate in the multinational exercise being held at the Indian Army's Field Training Node, Umroi, Meghalaya. The exercise began on May 18 and concluded on Saturday, May 30.Umroi has become the center of military exercises being carried out among the militaries from South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean.The Indian Army on Saturday said, "PRAGATI,

which stands for Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region, brought together more than 400 troops from India, Bhutan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia and Laos." Tensions have been prevailing between India and Bangladesh since the political upheaval and removal of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024. Several discomforting comments have been made by the political leaders subsequently.The option of Bangladesh opting out of India's maiden multinational Exercise Pragati has underlined the decline in the relationship

Significance of Exercise Pragati

The exercise 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, the Indian Army said.The maiden edition of Multilateral Exercise Pragati 2026, conducted at Umroi Military Station, Meghalaya, 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 event was attended by six Vice Chiefs and over 40 senior military officials from the 13 participating friendly foreign countries. Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, Vice Chief of the Army Staff, hosted the dignitaries from all participating countries.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 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.