18th India-Mongolia Exercise Nomadic Elephant Begins in Pithoragarh

The 18th edition of the India-Mongolia Joint Military Exercise Nomadic Elephant commenced on Monday at the Foreign Training Node in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand. The platoon-level exercise, held annually and alternately in the two countries, is scheduled to run from 21 September to 3 October 2026.

Both the Indian Army and the Mongolian Armed Forces are taking part with 45 personnel each. The previous edition was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, between May and June 2025.

The exercise is designed to sharpen the combined military capability of the two forces to carry out Counter-Insurgency Operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain under the United Nations Mandate.

The joint training will concentrate on tactical-level operations, the exchange of best practices, refinement of operational drills and improving interoperability between the two armies. The curriculum includes Cordon and Search Operations, Room Intervention Drills, Special Heliborne Operations, Cyber Security Training, and the employment of drones and counter-drone systems, among other activities.

These drills are intended to give troops from both armies the opportunity to train together in realistic operational scenarios and to strengthen their ability to operate jointly.

The exercise is expected to further defence cooperation between India and Mongolia and reinforce the longstanding bonds of friendship and mutual trust between the two nations.