Why in the news
India began a large multinational army exercise in Meghalaya, bringing together twelve partner countries to train, trade experience and strengthen ties.
Key facts
- Exercise: PRAGATI 2026, a 13-nation multinational military exercise.
- Venue: Umroi Military Station, Ri-Bhoi district, Meghalaya, near Shillong.
- Organiser: Indian Army’s Eastern Command; host: India.
- Purpose: a shared platform for armies to exchange professional knowledge and build military-to-military links; likely also interoperability for disaster relief, peacekeeping and counter-terrorism.
Participants
| Group | Countries |
|---|
| Southeast Asia (seven) | Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam |
| South Asia and Indian Ocean | Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles |
| Host | India |
Why Meghalaya and why now
- The north-east serves as the doorway towards ASEAN and the Bay of Bengal, and Eastern Command has its base and training facilities there.
- Signals commitment to Act East partners and positions the north-east as a strategic hub.
- Timing noted amid the 2026 West Asia conflict, the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defence accord, China-related concerns and shifting alliances.
Policy links
- Act East: the seven ASEAN-region participants show defence cooperation joining trade and connectivity.
- SAGAR: Indian Ocean participants (Maldives, Sri Lanka, Seychelles) match India’s maritime security vision.
- Neighbourhood First: neighbours such as Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka took part.
Background
- Act East: articulated 2014, building on 1990s Look East; covers trade (ASEAN-India FTA), connectivity (Kaladan, Trilateral Highway) and defence.
- SAGAR: expanded as Security and Growth for All in the Region; PM Modi announced it in Mauritius in March 2015.
- IPOI: announced at the East Asia Summit, November 2019, with seven pillars from maritime security to trade connectivity.
- Eastern Command: headquartered in Kolkata; guards north-east borders and handles counter-insurgency and HADR.
- BIMSTEC: a seven-member Bay of Bengal grouping of Thailand, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh and India.
Other Indian exercises
| Exercise | Partner or type |
|---|
| Yudh Abhyas | United States |
| Surya Kiran | Nepal |
| Mitra Shakti | Sri Lanka |
| Garuda Shakti | Indonesia |
| VINBAX | Vietnam |
| MILAN, Malabar | Naval multilateral (Malabar: Quad) |
Exam angle
- Venue: Umroi, Meghalaya; command: Eastern Command.
- Count: 12 guest nations plus India.
- Match exercises with partners and policies with years.