Key Terms & Concepts — UPSC Mains
Exercise PRAGATI
"India's first-ever 13-nation multilateral Army exercise, held at FTN Umroi, Meghalaya (May 18–31, 2026), under India's SAGAR doctrine for IOR security cooperation"
Exercise PRAGATI (Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region) 2026 was India's maiden multilateral Army exercise, conducted from 18–31 May 2026 at Field Training Node (FTN) Umroi, Meghalaya. It involved armies from 13 nations: India (host) plus 12 partner nations — Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. The exercise focused on joint operations in sub-conventional warfare, disaster relief, and humanitarian assistance, reflecting India's role as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). PRAGATI is distinct from bilateral exercises (like India-Nepal SURYA KIRAN or India-Maldives EKUVERIN) in being India's first multilateral Army exercise with IOR nations. It is aligned with India's SAGAR doctrine (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and the vision of a free, open, and stable Indo-Pacific.
Exercise PRAGATI is directly relevant for GS2 (India's foreign policy, Act East Policy, neighbourhood policy, IOR security) and GS3 (defence cooperation, multilateralism). It marks a qualitative step in India's defence diplomacy — moving from bilateral exercises to multilateral formats with IOR neighbours. UPSC connections: SAGAR doctrine, India's Act East Policy, India-ASEAN defence relations, and India's ambition to lead IOR security architecture.
- 1 Full form: Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region
- 2 India's first multilateral Army exercise — 13 nations total (India + 12 partners)
- 3 Held at FTN Umroi, Meghalaya — May 18–31, 2026
- 4 Partner nations: Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Vietnam
- 5 [object Object]
- 6 Aligns with SAGAR doctrine — India as net security provider in IOR
- 7 Complements India's bilateral exercises with IOR neighbours (SURYA KIRAN with Nepal, EKUVERIN with Maldives, MITRA SHAKTI with Sri Lanka)
- 8 Located in Meghalaya — India's Northeast as a gateway to ASEAN (Act East Policy)
PRAGATI's choice of Umroi, Meghalaya as the exercise venue is itself a strategic signal — by hosting IOR nations at India's Northeast gateway, India reinforces that its Act East Policy is not just economic but includes security architecture, positioning the Northeast corridor as a bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia.
