Nomadic Elephant 2026: India-Mongolia exercise concludes in Pithoragarh
Why in the news
The 18th edition of Nomadic Elephant, the joint military exercise between India and Mongolia, ended on 3 October 2026 at Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand. It had begun on 21 September 2026.
Key facts
- Edition: 18th.
- Dates: 21 September to 3 October 2026.
- Venue: Foreign Training Node, Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand.
- Participants: Indian Army and Mongolian Armed Forces, with 45 personnel each.
- Aim: build joint capability for counter-insurgency operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain under a United Nations mandate.
- Drills: cordon and search, room intervention, special heliborne operations, cyber security and use of drones.
- Cultural side: included a display of Mongolian classical wrestling.
| Edition | Venue | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Previous | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia | May-June 2025 |
| 18th | Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand | 21 Sep – 3 Oct 2026 |
About Nomadic Elephant
Nomadic Elephant is an annual platoon-level exercise hosted alternately by India and Mongolia. It seeks to improve interoperability and tactical coordination by sharing best practices and refining operational drills.
Exam angle
- Match the exercise with the country: Nomadic Elephant is India-Mongolia.
- Remember the 2026 venue (Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand) and the 18th edition.
- Its focus is UN-mandated counter-insurgency in semi-urban and mountain areas.