India is expanding its strategic reach in Central Asia by training the border security forces of Mongolia. This is a first-of-its-kind capacity-building programme, announced during the visit of Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa to New Delhi. The training will include tactical operations, courses in India, and long-term defence engagement. With Mongolia sharing borders with China and historic ties with Russia, India is positioning itself as a reliable third partner — not a rival, but a strategic alternative. This move, along with India’s cultural diplomacy and a $1.7 billion refinery project, deepens trust and boosts India’s influence in the region.
