CURRENT AFFAIRS | 26 MAY 2026
Multinational military exercise PRAGATI 2026 began on 21 May 2026 at Umroi Military Station, Meghalaya, with troops from 12 friendly countries plus India — a record-setting Indo-Pacific defence engagement. The exercise doubles as a showcase of Atmanirbhar Bharat indigenous defence equipment, knitting together CLAT-2027 themes across IR, Defence and Public Policy.
Constitutional & Statutory Framework
Entry 1 List I — Defence of India is exclusively a Union subject. Art. 246 — division of legislative powers. Art. 53 — Supreme Command of armed forces vests in the President; exercised through CDS and Service Chiefs. DAP 2020 prioritises Buy (Indian-IDDM) — Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured. Joint exercises are governed by bilateral/multilateral MoUs under Art. 73 executive power of the Union.
CLAT Angle — What to memorise
Participating countries (12 + India): Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Vietnam. Theme: Indo-Pacific peacekeeping interoperability + indigenous equipment showcase. Pair with other India-led exercises: MILAN, MALABAR, TARANG SHAKTI, VAJRA PRAHAR, GARUDA SHAKTI. Note: Umroi sits in Northeast — Act East Policy hub.
Key Facts Table
| Initiative / Policy | Year | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Atmanirbhar Bharat | 2020 | Self-reliance across 5 pillars |
| Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) | 2020 | Replaced DPP 2016; Buy (Indian-IDDM) top priority |
| Positive Indigenisation Lists | 2020-25 | 5 lists; 500+ items barred from import |
| iDEX | 2018 | Innovations for Defence Excellence; start-up funding |
Mnemonic — “PRAGATI = Promoting Regional Asian Goodwill Through Indigenisation”
PRAGATI 2026 · Record 13 nations · Atmanirbhar showcase · Guwahati-Shillong axis · Act East linkage · Troops 12 + India · Indigenisation lists.
Save this for revision — exact figures asked in CLAT GK most years.
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
Click an option to reveal the answer and explanation.
