Shillong, May 30: The Indian Army hosted the multinational military exercise ‘Progress 2026’ at the Umroi military station in Meghalaya. This joint exercise, which began on May 20, concluded today. The closing ceremony was attended by the Vice Chief of the Indian Army, Lieutenant General Dheeraj Seth, along with deputy chiefs from six allied nations and over 40 senior military officials.
The exercise wrapped up with a 72-hour special operations drill. Over the past ten days, more than 400 soldiers from 13 allied nations showcased their coordination, collaboration, and ability to tackle shared security challenges. The primary focus of the exercise was counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in mountainous and forested areas.
During the closing event, a hypothetical scenario was created, simulating an operation based on intelligence about militants hiding in a village. Soldiers were deployed using all-terrain vehicles, surrounding the village. Troops were airlifted into the operation area via helicopters using sliding techniques. Subsequently, actions to neutralize or capture the terrorists hiding in the village were demonstrated.
Modern technologies were employed during the exercise, including the Indian Army’s K-9 dog squad, robotic mules, and drones. The exercise saw participation from over 400 soldiers from 13 friendly nations, including India, Bhutan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Laos.
Colonel Sandeep Puniya, leading the exercise, explained that ‘Progress’ signifies “partnership among regional forces for development and change in the Indian Ocean region.” The aim was to establish coordination among allied forces, develop interoperability, and strengthen mutual trust. This objective guided the planning of the exercise.
He noted that during the past two weeks, soldiers from all countries trained together. The main focus was on counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in semi-hilly and forested regions. Participants had the opportunity to share experiences and best practices, while also discussing the integration of the latest technologies and their impacts on military operations.
Lieutenant Colonel Louis Agathin, contingent commander of the Seychelles Army, praised the Indian Army for its openness in sharing knowledge and experiences. He remarked, “The people of India do not keep their experiences to themselves; they share them. We will return home enriched with what we have learned here.”
Lieutenant Colonel Sangay Jamtsho, contingent commander of the Royal Bhutan Army, expressed gratitude to the Indian Army for this historic initiative, stating that ‘Progress 2026’ was an immensely successful and grand multinational exercise. It provided their officers and soldiers with a vital opportunity to engage with military personnel from various countries and share experiences related to counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations.
Staff Sergeant Mary Simongo of the Philippine Marine Corps also extended her thanks to the Indian Army and all associated officials. She noted that the exercise offered numerous new ideas, experiences, and valuable lessons that she would apply for the benefit of her country and community. She commended the Indian Army’s warm hospitality and excellent organization, stating that this experience would always be memorable for her.
Throughout the ten-day training, soldiers practiced skills such as climbing rocks, ambush and counter-ambush drills, sliding techniques, shooting in forests, rescue operations in rooms and buses, identifying IEDs, and safely extracting casualties. Teams formed by soldiers from different countries underwent joint training, further enhancing mutual trust, coordination, and collaboration.
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