Context
- Recently, the 13-nation military exercise PRAGATI 2026 began at Meghalaya (Umroi Military Station), highlighting India’s growing role in regional security and defence cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
1. Key Highlights of Exercise PRAGATI 2026
- Nomenclature: PRAGATI stands for Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region.
- Format & Scale: It is a 13-nation multilateral land force exercise hosted by the Indian Army.
- Geographical Focus: It focuses on counter-terrorism operations executed specifically across semi-mountainous and jungle terrain.
- Defense Indigenization: Beyond tactical drills, the exercise serves as a strategic platform under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Domestic Indian defense and tech companies use this venue to showcase indigenous equipment, weaponry, and innovations to friendly foreign nations.
2. Participating Nations Mapping
Apart from host India, 12 friendly nations spanning South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the island territories of the Indian Ocean are participating. Recognizing this specific group of countries is highly relevant for Prelims International Relations (IR) options:
- South Asia: Bhutan, Nepal, the Maldives, Sri Lanka.
- Southeast Asia (ASEAN bloc): Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Vietnam.
- Western Indian Ocean Island: Seychelles.
3. Other Important Joint Military Exercises Held in India (2026)
| Exercise Name | Participating Nations | Type of Exercise | Key Focus Area / Terrain |
| MILAN 2026 | India + Multi-nation Navies (Over 50 countries invited) | Multilateral (Navy) | Large-scale maritime maneuvers, anti-submarine warfare, and interoperability in the Indo-Pacific. Held at Visakhapatnam. |
| Yudh Abhyas | India & United States | Bilateral (Army) | High-altitude warfare, counter-insurgency operations, and joint humanitarian assistance. |
| Garuda Shakti | India & Indonesia | Bilateral (Special Forces) | Jungle warfare, tactical counter-terrorism operations, and military intelligence sharing. |
| Mitra Shakti | India & Sri Lanka | Bilateral (Army) | Semi-urban and counter-insurgency joint operational drills. |
| Surya Kiran | India & Nepal | Bilateral (Army) | High-altitude mountain warfare, disaster relief maneuvers, and terrain survival techniques. |
| Harimau Shakti | India & Malaysia | Bilateral (Army) | Jungle warfare tactics, sub-conventional operations, and drone/tech integration. |
With reference to Exercise PRAGATI 2026, consider the following statements:
1. It is a multilateral land force exercise hosted by the Indian Army.
2. The exercise focuses on counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain.
3. Seychelles is the only participating country from the Western Indian Ocean region.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation:
• Statement 1 is correct: PRAGATI 2026 is a 13-nation multilateral land force exercise hosted by the Indian Army.
• Statement 2 is correct: The exercise emphasizes counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain.
• Statement 3 is correct: Seychelles is the only participating nation from the Western Indian Ocean island region.
