The Indian Army contingent left today for the Multinational Military Exercise Khaan Quest, scheduled from 27 July to 9 August in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The exercise aims to bring together military forces from around the world to collaborate and enhance their peacekeeping capabilities, according to an Indian Army official.
The Indian Army contingent consists of 40 personnel, mainly from a Battalion of the Madras Regiment and other arms and services. The contingent also includes one woman officer and two women soldiers.
The drill aims to prepare the Indian Armed Forces for peacekeeping missions in a multinational environment. It will focus on increasing interoperability and military readiness in peace support operations under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter and emphasize a high degree of physical fitness, joint planning, and joint tactical drills, according to a statement.
Tactical drills to be practiced during the exercise include establishing static and mobile checkpoints, cordon and search operations, patrolling, evacuating civilians from hostile areas, counter-improvised explosive device drills, combat first aid, and casualty evacuation, among others.
The last edition of this exercise was held in Mongolia from 19 June to 2 July 2023. In 2003, the exercise began as a bilateral event between the USA and the Mongolian Armed Forces. From 2006 onwards, it evolved into a Multinational Peacekeeping Exercise, and this year marks its 21st iteration.
Exercise Khaan Quest, with its focus on promoting interoperability, will enable the participating countries to share their best practices in Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for conducting joint operations. The exercise will also foster bonhomie and camaraderie between soldiers of the participating countries.
Team BharatShakti
