India and Mongolia Hold 14th Defence Joint Working Group Talks

The defence ministries of India and Mongolia met in Ulaanbaatar on 16 October 2026 for the 14th meeting of their Joint Working Group (JWG). The two delegations went through every strand of the military relationship, measured how far the running projects had come, and picked out fresh areas where the two countries can work together.

Who led the two sides

The meeting had two co-chairs. Dr Ishita Ganguli Tripathy, Joint Secretary in India's Ministry of Defence, headed the Indian delegation. Brigadier General Gansukh E., Deputy State Secretary of Defence, headed the Mongolian delegation. Separately, Dr Tripathy called on Major General Usukhbayar J., Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Mongolian Armed Forces. The two officials took stock of how the armed forces of the two countries have been working with each other and drew up a forward agenda for the India-Mongolia Strategic Partnership.

What the talks covered

• A full review of the defence activities already running between the two countries
• New fields of cooperation that both sides have identified
• Views on developments in the region and in the wider world
• Training and capacity building that India provides for Mongolian military personnel

Exercise Nomadic Elephant

Both delegations welcomed the smooth conclusion of Exercise Nomadic Elephant, the army-to-army drill the two countries hold with each other. The exercise was cited at the meeting as proof of how far bilateral military cooperation has travelled. Mongolia also placed on record its appreciation of the training India gives to its soldiers.

Cyber Security Training Centre

The visiting Indian team went to Mongolia's National Defence University and examined the working of the Cyber Security Training Centre, a facility set up there with Indian assistance. The Mongolian side thanked India for its sustained help in cyber security and in language training, and said such knowledge-sharing strengthens the strategic partnership between the two countries.

The wider relationship

The two nations share long historical, cultural and civilisational links, and these form the base of the partnership today. Officials noted that a common religious and cultural heritage continues to draw the two peoples closer, giving the defence relationship a foundation that goes well beyond military exchanges.