PolicyDefence
India and Mongolia review defence ties at working group talks in Ulaanbaatar
The 14th Joint Working Group looked at training, exercises and cyber security. Indian officials visited the cyber training centre set up with Indian help.
Key points
- The 14th India-Mongolia Joint Working Group on defence met in Ulaanbaatar on Friday.
- Both sides praised the recent Nomadic Elephant army exercise held in Pithoragarh.
- Mongolia thanked India for help with cyber security and training of its armed forces.
India and Mongolia reviewed their defence cooperation and agreed to widen it at the 14th meeting of their Joint Working Group in Ulaanbaatar on Friday, the Defence Ministry said.
Dr Ishita Ganguli Tripathy, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, led the Indian side. Mongolia was represented by Brigadier General Gansukh E, Deputy State Secretary of Defence. “Both countries reaffirmed their longstanding bonds of friendship and mutual trust,” the ministry said.
The two sides took stock of existing programmes, discussed new areas of collaboration and exchanged views on regional and international developments, with an eye to deepening defence ties under the India-Mongolia Strategic Partnership.
Exercises and training
Both delegations praised the successful conduct of Nomadic Elephant, the annual platoon-level exercise between the two armies that alternates between the countries. The 18th edition was held at the Foreign Training Node in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, from 21 September to 3 October, with 45 soldiers from each side.
The Indian team visited the National Defence University of Mongolia to review the Cyber Security Training Centre set up there with Indian assistance. Mongolia acknowledged India’s support in building the capacity of its armed forces, including training of personnel, language courses and cyber security.
Tripathy also called on Major General Usukhbayar J, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Mongolian Armed Forces.