India excludes Bangladesh from 'Pragati' military exercise

India has organised a multinational military exercise named 'Pragati' with 11 friendly neighbouring countries for the first time, but Bangladesh was not included in the list.

The joint exercise will be held from May 18 to May 31 in the Indian state of Meghalaya, which shares a border with Bangladesh.

According to a report by the Times of India, the participating countries are Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Nepal, Maldives, Malaysia, Cambodia and Bhutan.

The Indian Army's Public Information Department said in a post on X that the exercise will highlight the importance of regional cooperation. The main objective is to strengthen joint training on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations.

The post also stated that the aim of the exercise is to increase India's defence cooperation with neighbouring and Indian Ocean region countries, develop capabilities, and build joint operational skills.

Analysts believe this exercise marks a significant shift in Indian Army training from bilateral initiatives to a multilateral framework.

As part of the exercise, initiatives have also been taken to showcase the Indian Army's capabilities and further strengthen partnerships with ASEAN member countries.