Mongolian
and Indian troops finished their latest two-week drill in counter-insurgency in
Belgaum in western India on Sunday. Nearly 30 officers and personnel of the
Mongolian armed forces participated in the joint exercises called “Nomadic
Elephant” along with 50 officers and personnel of the Indian Army in a counter-terrorism
environment.

Defence
cooperation and relations between the militaries of the two countries have seen
a steady growth since the first joint exercise in 2004. For the last few years,
the joint drills have been held every year. In recent years, the exercises have
varied, with the one in 2005 being held at the Counter Insurgency and Jungle
Warfare School at Vairnagte, Mizoram while another exercise held in Mongolia in
September 2008 was on peacekeeping operations.

Besides
exercises, both countries have had visits of top brass with the former
Vice-Chief of the Army Staff Lt. Gen. Noble Thamburaj visiting Mongolia last
year on the Mongolian Armed Forces Day while its Chief of the Army Staff
visited the Defense Expo in India. Mongolian Defense Minister L. Bold was one
of the dignitaries at the 2009 Aero India and also attended a Joint Working
Group meeting.