The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has participated in India’s inaugural multinational military exercise, an event notably held without the participation of Bangladesh.
A total of 13 nations took part in the newly established "Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region" (PRAGATI 2026).
According to the MNDF, the exercise was conducted from May 18 to 31 at the Umroi Military Station in India. The program focused on counter-terrorism operations, peacekeeping missions, and enhancing security cooperation within the Indian Ocean region.
"Personnel from the MNDF Special Forces, Special Operations Group, Special Boat Squadron, and the MNDF Marine Corps participated in this exercise," a statement on the MNDF website confirmed.
This marks India's first-ever multilateral military initiative.
The participating countries included the Maldives, India, Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. More than 400 military personnel from these nations completed the training.
However, neighboring Bangladesh did not participate in the large-scale exercise. Observers noted that the drills took place in the Indian state of Meghalaya, which shares a border with Bangladesh.
Analysts view PRAGATI 2026 as a significant step by India to transition from bilateral to multilateral military engagements. Furthermore, experts suggest that the inclusion of Southeast Asian nations alongside South Asian counterparts is likely to draw close attention from China.
On the sidelines of the exercise, India’s Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, met with representatives from the participating nations to discuss strengthening defense ties, according to the Indian Ministry of Defence.
