NEW DELHI (PTI): The Indian Army will participate in a multinational military exercise – 'Khaan Quest' – in Mongolia from July 27 to August 9 that brings together armed forces from around the world to collaborate as well as enhance their peacekeeping capabilities.

The Indian Army contingent comprising 40 personnel, including a woman officer and two women soldiers, departed for Ulaanbaatar on Wednesday, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

The Indian side is being represented mainly by troops from a battalion of the Madras Regiment along with personnel from other arms and services.

The event is scheduled to be conducted at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, it said.

"The exercise will bring together military forces from around the world to collaborate and enhance their peacekeeping capabilities. Last edition of Exercise Khaan Quest was conducted in Mongolia from June 19 to July 2, 2023," the statement said.

The Ministry said that the exercise first started as a bilateral event between the US and Mongolian Armed Forces in 2003. Subsequently, from 2006 onwards the exercise graduated to a multinational peacekeeping exercise with current year being the 21st iteration, it said.

"The aim of exercise 'Khann Quest' is to prepare the Indian Armed Forces for peacekeeping missions while operating in a multinational environment, thereby increasing interoperability and military readiness in peace support operations under Chapter VII of United Nations Charter.

"The exercise will focus on high degree of physical fitness, joint planning and joint tactical drills," the Ministry said.

Tactical drills to be practised during the exercise will include establishment of static and mobile check points, cordon and search operations, patrolling, evacuation of civilians from hostile area, counter improvised explosive device drills, combat first-aid and casualty evacuation, among others.

The exercise 'Khaan Quest' will enable the participating countries to share their best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures for conduct of joint operations. It will facilitate developing inter-operability, bonhomie and camaraderie between soldiers of the participating countries, the Ministry added.