EAM Jaishankar and Mongolian counterpart discuss development cooperation, security
Ulaanbaatar, June 22
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a meeting with his Mongolian counterpart Battsetseg Batmunkh in Ulaanbaatar on Monday with both ministers reviewing the progress in India-Mongolia cooperation in several key sectors. During the meeting, EAM Jaishankar expressed India's readiness to advance ties with Mongolia.
"Delighted to meet FM Battsetseg Batmunkh in Ulaanbaatar. Our discussions reflected the warmth, strength and promise of our Strategic Partnership. Reviewed the progress in our cooperation in development projects, capacity building, culture, education, security and multilateral fora. Also spoke about opportunities in mining, clean energy and agri processing. As a third neighbour and a spiritual partner, India stands ready to advance its close and cordial ties with Mongolia," the EAM posted on X after the meeting.
Earlier in the day, EAM Jaishankar arrived in Mongolia on a two-day official visit during which he would be calling on the top Mongolian leadership.
"Pleased to arrive in Mongolia today. Thank State Secretary Munktushig Ilkhanajav for the warm welcome. Look forward to fruitful engagements to advance our special partnership," he wrote on X after arriving in Ulaanbaatar.
Last October, Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa was on a four-day State Visit to India during which he called on President Droupadi Murmu and also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President C P Radhakrishnan.
Diplomatic relations between India and Mongolia were established in 1955. India was the first country outside the Socialist bloc to establish diplomatic ties with Mongolia. India supported Mongolia in having United Nations (UN) and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) memberships.
After concluding his engagements in Mongolia, EAM Jaishankar will travel to South Korea where he is scheduled to hold talks with his counterpart and deliver remarks at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity.
"EAM will visit Republic of Korea on 24 and 25 June 2026. EAM will hold discussions with ROK Foreign Minister Cho Hyun during the visit. He will also deliver the keynote speech at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity in Jeju on 25 June 2026," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting to see India's outreach to Mongolia. The spiritual partnership angle—Buddhist connections—adds a unique dimension to bilateral ties. Hope the clean energy and agri processing discussions lead to concrete projects. 🇮🇳🇲🇳
Nice to see EAM Jaishankar actively engaging with Mongolia. However, I hope the 'development cooperation' translates into real benefits for people, not just high-level talks. The mining sector has potential, but we need transparent agreements to avoid resource exploitation risks. Still, a step in the right direction.
Growing the strategic partnership with Mongolia makes sense given India's 'Act East' policy and countering China's influence. The mention of security cooperation is interesting—wonder if it includes joint exercises or intelligence sharing. Clean energy collaboration could be a win-win.
What's the tangible outcome from these meetings? Every country says 'strengthen ties' but we rarely see concrete projects on the ground. The mining and agri processing opportunities sound promising, but implementation is key. Let's hope it's not just photo ops. 🤔
India being the first non-socialist country to recognize Mongolia in 1955 is a great historical footnote. It's good to see this relationship maturing. The fact that Jaishankar is also visiting South Korea shows India's comprehensive diplomatic outreach in East Asia. Well-planned foreign policy!
Mongolia is important for India's strategic autonomy. With China's Belt and Road
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