Indian Army spotlights Rampur Hound tracker dog at PRAGATI 2026 drill

Victor, a Rampur Hound tracker dog, became the most visible face of Exercise PRAGATI 2026 as the Indian Army used the multinational drill in Meghalaya to put indigenous canine power on a public stage. At Umroi Military Station, the Army showed how a fast, resilient working dog can sit alongside modern military readiness, not off to the side.

PRAGATI 2026 began on May 20, 2026, and brought together 12 friendly nations: Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. The Ministry of Defence said the exercise was designed as a common platform for professional exchange, learning from one another’s experiences and building closer military-to-military ties. Other reports described it as a two-week joint training programme focused on counter-terrorism in challenging terrain.

Inside that setting, the K-9 display was built around field work rather than ceremony. The Army demonstrated explosive detection, tracking hostile movement and intervention operations, showing the range of tasks that trained dogs can handle in difficult terrain. Victor’s appearance drew attention because the Rampur Hound is being pushed as a breed especially suited to Indian conditions for its climatic adaptability, endurance, resilience and disease resistance. That made the dog more than a mascot. It made him a proof point for an indigenous capability story.

The Army also displayed robotic dogs and platforms alongside the live K-9 teams. Lt Col Mahendra Rawat said the robotic platforms and K9 warriors together represented “tradition and technology working in tandem to improve operational effectiveness.” He also described the K-9 warriors as a “silent force multiplier,” underscoring the Army’s message that trained dogs still bring speed, instinct, loyalty and adaptability to high-risk missions.

The Rampur Hound’s appearance also fit a larger defence push toward indigenous systems. Press Information Bureau material has repeatedly framed policy around Atmanirbhar Bharat, while an Indian Army gesture in November 2020 saw 10 mine-detection dogs gifted to the Bangladesh Army. PIB’s Republic Day 2025 animal contingent release also listed Indian breed dogs including Mudhol Hound, Rampur Hound, Chippiparai, Kombai and Rajapalayam, showing that the Army’s interest in native breeds extends beyond one drill.

Breed-history reporting adds another layer to Victor’s moment at Umroi. The Rampur Hound traces to the princely state of Rampur and to 19th-century crosses between Afghan or Tazi hounds and English Greyhounds. That lineage made Victor’s run at PRAGATI 2026 feel less like a novelty and more like a revival, with a homegrown hound standing in front of 12 nations as the Army tied animal performance, battlefield utility and national self-reliance into one very public showcase.