The maiden edition of the Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region (PRAGATI) exercise concluded in Meghalaya, officials said on Saturday.
Focused on counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain, the maiden edition of the multilateral military exercise brought together more than 400 troops from India's international allies. Joining Indian soldiers for the exercise were military personnel from Bhutan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Laos. The event was attended by six Vice Chiefs and over 40 senior military officials from the 13 participating friendly foreign countries.
It was on Wednesday, May 20, that the event began at Meghalaya's Umroi Military Station. 'PRAGATI' has concluded with a 72-hour validation drill, showcasing participants' interoperability and mutual trust to address common security challenges, officials said on Saturday.
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.
"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 Defence Ministry said in a statement.
"A key highlight of the exercise was the spirit of camaraderie and soldierly bonding displayed by all participants. The personnel roughed it out together through demanding training conditions, reinforcing the common soldierly spirit that binds armed forces across nations," it added.
