Indian Army contingent leaves for Mongolia for Khaan Quest 2026 peacekeeping exercise
Indian Army contingent leaves for Mongolia for Khaan Quest 2026. (Image courtesy: Ministry of Defence)
New Delhi: An Indian Army contingent left for Mongolia on Thursday to participate in Exercise Khaan Quest 2026, a multinational military drill focused on United Nations peacekeeping operations. The exercise will be held from June 20 to July 3 at the Five Hills Training Area near Ulaanbaatar.
The 40-member contingent comprises troops from a battalion of the Jat Regiment along with personnel drawn from other arms and services of the Army.
Exercise Khaan Quest, now in its 23rd edition, began in 2003 as a bilateral exercise between the United States and the Mongolian armed forces before evolving into a multinational peacekeeping exercise in 2006. The previous edition was conducted in Mongolia from June 14 to 28 last year.
According to Ministry of the Defence, the exercise aims to prepare participating forces for peacekeeping missions in a multinational environment while improving coordination and interoperability among militaries from different countries.
“The exercise will focus on conduct of joint planning and tactical drills such as establishment of static and mobile checkpoints, cordon and search operations, patrolling, evacuation of civilians from hostile areas, counter-improvised explosive device drills, combat first aid and casualty evacuation,” the ministry said.
The drills are being conducted under the framework of Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, which deals with maintaining international peace and security. Participating troops will train together in a range of operational scenarios designed to enhance their ability to work under a unified command structure during peacekeeping deployments.
The exercise would provide an opportunity for participating countries to exchange best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures for joint operations while strengthening professional ties among soldiers.
India has been among the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping missions over the years, and its participation in Khaan Quest reflects its continued engagement in multinational military cooperation as well as its strategic partnership with Mongolia.
