Ministry of Defense (Mongolia)

On 29 December 1911, Mongolia gained independence from the Manchu Empire, and established its first five ministries. One of the ministries was the Ministry of Military Affairs, which was one of the predecessors to the Ministry of Defence.[4][5]

Since then, it has operated under the following names:

• Ministry of Military Affairs (1911-1919)
• Ministry of War (1921-1922)
• Ministry of Military Affairs of the People's Government of Mongolia (1922-1924)
• Ministry of Military Affairs of People's Republic of Mongolia (1924-1949)
• Ministry of Defence (1949-1955)
• Ministry of Military and Public Security (1955-1959)
• Ministry of People's Military Affairs (1959-1968)
• Ministry of Defence of the Mongolian People's Republic (1968-1992)
• Ministry of Defence of Mongolia (1992-Present)

The ministry has the following structure:[6]

• Strategic Policy and Planning Directorate
• Public Administration Directorate
• Policy Implementation Coordination Directorate
• Foreign cooperation Directorate
• Monitoring Evaluation and Internal Auditing Directorate
• Finance and Investment Department

The following units/institutions are under the direct command of the defence ministry:[7]

• National Defense University – The MNDU is an accredited military university located in Ulaanbaatar and is the country's premier and oldest military educational institution.[8] It prepares officers and NCOs to have grounded leadership skills as well as physical/moral strength.
• Institute for Strategic Studies – The institute was established on February 1990 as a strategic research centre under the Ministry of Defence. In May 2006, the government upgraded the institute’s status to a separate research branch of the National Security Council of Mongolia (NSC), acting as a think tank institution.[9]
• Cultural institutions/units
  • Mongolian Military Song and Dance Academic Ensemble
  • Mongolian Military Museum
• Central Archives – The Central Archives has data and documents which date back to the Mongolian Revolution of 1921. The military archives were set up by the Deputy Minister on 8 May 1939, coming into effect on 20 October. In the late 1950s, the government took concrete action to improve the orderly use of the preservation of the country's archives. In 1956, the Ministry of Defence appointed a spokesperson for the archives of the Mongolian People's Army. In the early 1980s, the Mongolian People's Army Central Archives was equipped with personnel who have professional and vocational training and an advanced post-secondary education and in 1988, a new building was created due to the expansion of the archives. Since 2006, it has been under the control of the defence ministry.[10]
• "Baga Bayan" Peace Resort – Established in 1932, it is a living centre and retirement home for elderly veterans of military service.[11]
• State Department Store of the Ministry of Defence "Börte"

Tserendash Tsolmon with Sergei Shoigu.

Since July 1996, the ministry has been led by a civilian official.

No.		Minister of Defence	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party
1		Sükhbaatar, DamdinDamdin Sükhbaatar (1893–1923)	11 July 1921	1 December 1922	1 years	MPP
2		Magsarjav, KhatanbaatarColonel general Khatanbaatar Magsarjav (1877–1927)	1922	1927 †	4–5 years	MPP
3		Choibalsan, KhorloogiinMarshal of the Mongolian People's Republic Khorloogiin Choibalsan (1895–1952)	1927	1929	1–2 years	MPP
4		Demid, GelegdorjiinMarshal of the Mongolian People's Republic Gelegdorjiin Demid (1900–1937)	1930	22 August 1937 †	6–7 years	MPP
(3)		Choibalsan, KhorloogiinMarshal of the Mongolian People's Republic Khorloogiin Choibalsan (1895–1952)	1937	26 January 1952 †	14–15 years	MPP
5		Janchiv, TsedengiinLieutenant general Tsedengiin Janchiv (1914–1993)	1952	1956	3–4 years	MPP
6		Bataa, SanjiinColonel general Sanjiin Bataa (1915–1982)	1956	1959	2–3 years	MPP
7		Lhagvasuren, ZhamyangiynColonel general Zhamyangiyn Lhagvasuren (1912–1982)	28 June 1959	July 1969	10 years	MPP
8		Dorj, BatynGeneral of the Army Batyn Dorj (1914–1982) [12]	July 1969	1978	8–9 years	MPP
9		Avkhia, JarantynColonel general Jarantyn Avkhia (1923–1992)	1978	1982	3–4 years	MPP
10		Jondon, JamsrangijnColonel general Jamsrangijn Jondon (1923–1992)	1982	1989	6–7 years	MPP
11		Molomjamts, LuvsangombynLieutenant general Luvsangombyn Molomjamts (born 1935) [13][14]	1989	September 1990	0–1 years	MPP
12		Jadambaa, ShagalynLieutenant general Shagalyn Jadambaa (born 1940)	September 1990	July 1996	5 years	MPP
13		Dorligjav, DambynDambyn Dorligjav (First civilian to hold this post)	19 July 1996	23 April 1998	1 years	DP
14		Odonbaatar, RenchinsambuugiinRenchinsambuugiin Odonbaatar [15]	23 April 1998	January 1999	0 years	DP
15		Tüvбendorj, SharavdorjinSharavdorjiin Tüvdendorj	January 1999	August 2000	1 years	DP
16		Gürragchaa, JügderdemidiinMajor general Jügderdemidiin Gürragchaa (born 1947)	August 2000	20 August 2004	4 years	MPP
17		Tserenkhuu, SharaavdorjTserenkhüügiin Sharaavdorj	20 August 2004	13 January 2006	1 years	MPP
18		Sonompil, MishigiinMishigiin Sonompil (born 1965)	13 January 2006	22 December 2007	1 years	DP
19		Jamyandorj, BatyuyagJamyandorjiin Batkhyuyag	22 December 2007	September 2008	0 years	MPP
20		Bold, LuvsanvandanLuvsanvandangiin Bold (born 1961)	September 2008	January 2012	3 years	DP
21		Enkhbayar, JadambaaJadambyn Enkhbayar (born 1973)	27 January 2012	17 August 2012	0 years	MPP
22		Bat, DashdemberalDashdembereliin Bat-Erdene (born 1963) [16]	17 August 2012	10 December 2014	2 years	DP
23		Tsolmon, TserendashTserendashiin Tsolmon [17]	10 December 2014	23 July 2016	1 years	MPRP
24		Enkhbold, NyamaagiinBadmaanyambuugiin Bat-Erdene (born 1964) [18]	23 July 2016	20 October 2017	1 years	MPP
25		Enkhbold, NyamaagiinNyamaagiin Enkhbold (born 1957) [19]	20 October 2017	Incumbent	3 years	MPP