SHILLONG, May 31: India’s drive for self-reliance in defence manufacturing has accelerated and could soon reduce reliance on imports, Major General CS Mann, Additional Director General of the Army Design Bureau, said on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of the 13-nation exercise PRAGATI at the Joint Training Node, Umroi Military Station. He attributed the growth to government support under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and said the expanding domestic market offers opportunities for local firms to enter international markets.
“The Indian defence industry is growing due to the Government’s emphasis on Atmanirbhar Bharat,” Mann said, highlighting the role of policy in boosting indigenous production. To broaden the sector’s global footprint, the Indian Army, together with the FICCI and the Army Design Bureau, staged a defence equipment display at the event to showcase homegrown technologies and next-generation systems.
The multilateral exercise drew more than 400 personnel from 13 countries — India, Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Vietnam — and the closing ceremony was attended by six Vice Chiefs and over 40 senior military officials from the participating nations. The exhibition was intended to promote defence-industry collaboration and increase exports by demonstrating India’s capabilities in design, development and manufacturing.
“We need to strengthen our footprint in the export sector,” Mann added, urging a concerted push to convert domestic demand and capability into overseas sales. PRAGATI was conducted in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain with a counter-terrorism focus, combining lectures, demonstrations and hands-on drills. Mixed international teams trained in rock craft, ambush and counter-ambush drills, slithering, jungle-lane shooting, room and bus intervention, IED detection and casualty evacuation, underscoring both tactical interoperability and the practical application of showcased equipment.
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/north-east/military-exercise-pragati-2026-concludes-in-meghalaya-indigenous-defence-tech-shown-1612204
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Publish Date: 2026-05-31 10:07:00
