-Indian Army Showcases Rich Cultural Heritage And Warm Hospitality While Welcoming Foreign Military Contingents

New Delhi, May 20 (H.S.):The multinational military exercise ‘PRAGATI’ commenced on Wednesday at the Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya. The exercise is witnessing participation from 12 friendly nations, including Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

The Indian Army accorded a warm and traditional welcome to the participating military contingents, reflecting India’s rich cultural heritage and renowned hospitality.

The military exercise ‘PRAGATI’ — an acronym for *Partnership for Regional Armies Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region* — is being conducted in the spirit of equality, friendship and mutual respect. The exercise aims to provide a common platform for participating armies to engage in professional exchanges, learn from one another’s experiences and strengthen close military ties.

Senior military officers and dignitaries attended the inaugural ceremony.

Addressing the participants, Major General Sunil Sheoran, Additional Director General (Infantry) of the Indian Army, welcomed all contingents and highlighted the importance of collective participation in addressing contemporary security challenges. He encouraged all participants to engage with openness, mutual respect and a willingness to learn from each other’s experiences. He further emphasised that the capabilities and perspectives of every participating nation would make meaningful contributions towards achieving the collective objectives of the exercise.

The key objectives of the exercise include establishing seamless coordination among participating countries during joint operations, identifying common areas of cooperation, sharing expertise and creating institutional mechanisms for the exchange of best operational practices developed through individual experiences. The exercise also seeks to strengthen defence relations and camaraderie through joint training and cultural exchanges, while developing common concepts for intelligence management and information sharing in a multinational operational environment.

The two-week-long exercise will primarily focus on counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain. The training programme will include joint planning exercises, tactical-level drills and coordinated operations aimed at enhancing the adaptability, endurance and tactical proficiency of participating troops. Special emphasis will be laid on physical fitness, discipline and coordination during operations under challenging conditions.

As part of the exercise, Indian technology and defence companies will showcase indigenous equipment under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The exhibition is expected to provide a platform for knowledge exchange while highlighting India’s growing capabilities in defence manufacturing, innovation and self-reliance.

The exercise is expected to further strengthen military cooperation, deepen professional relationships and contribute towards developing a shared approach to addressing common security challenges among regional partners.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar