The Army will hold its first multilateral military exercise involving 11 countries from May 18 to 31

this indian army Military delegations from 11 friendly countries will be hosted at the Foreign Training Center in Umroi, Meghalaya, from May 18 to 31 to participate in the first multilateral exercise ‘Pragati’.The exercise aims to strengthen defense cooperation, enhance interoperability and build mutual trust among participating countries.The Indian Army said the initiative reflects a shared commitment to collective security and regional stability. The Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADG PI) said in a post on X that the exercise highlighted the importance of cooperation between regional forces.Military representation will include troops from Laos, Myanmar, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Nepal, Maldives, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Bhutan.The exercise focuses on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations, emphasizing joint training and defense diplomacy. This is part of India’s growing defense cooperation with its neighbors and countries in the Indian Ocean region, focusing on capacity building and shared operational capabilities.The exercise will mark the Indian Army’s shift from bilateral training to joint training.Apart from war games, a key component of the event is a two-day industry expo highlighting the capabilities of the Indian Army and promoting industrial partnerships with ASEAN countries. In exercises with foreign countries, military task forces can effectively highlight the capabilities of domestic hardware and equipment and provide a realistic hands-on experience.