EAM Jaishankar, Mongolia's Chief Cabinet Secretary discuss bilateral cooperation
Ulaanbaatar, June 23
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a meeting with Mongolia's Chief Cabinet Secretary Battumur Enkhbayar on Tuesday, discussing bilateral cooperation, including new avenues in mining, energy, technology and human resources.
Following the meeting, EAM Jaishankar wrote on X, "Pleased to meet Minister and Chief Cabinet Secretary Battumur Enkhbayar of Mongolia this evening. Discussed our bilateral cooperation including new avenues in mining, energy, technology and Human resources."
Earlier in the day, he visited the iconic Gandan Monastery in Ulaanbaatar and witnessed the work being done to digitise one million Buddhist manuscripts. He called the monastery a "symbol of the special and spiritual bond" between two nations.
"Paid my respects at the iconic Gandan Monastery in Ulaanbaatar. The monastery is a symbol of the special and spiritual bond between India and Mongolia. Delighted to witness the India-Mongolia partnership project for digitisation of one million Buddhist manuscripts in action. India is committed to continuing its support for the Gandan Monastery," EAM Jaishankar posted on X.
EAM Jaishankar along with Mongolian Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh and Industry and Mining Minister Gongor Damdinnyam also visited the construction site of India-assisted Mongol Refinery Project on Tuesday and noted the steady progress being made in completing the landmark India-Mongolia friendship project.
EAM Jaishankar stated that he reviewed the status of works under implementation with the various teams involved and interacted with the workforce at the project site.
"Visited the construction site of the Mongol Refinery Project with Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh and Industry and Mining Minister Gongor Damdinnyam. This landmark India-Mongolia friendship project is making steady progress. Reviewed the status of works under implementation with the various teams involved," EAM Jaishankar posted on X.
"Also interacted with Indian and Mongolian workforce at the project site. Thanked them for their dedication and commitment in realising such a major project under challenging conditions," he added.
The Mongol Oil Refinery Project, being implemented with the support of a USD 1.7 billion Line of Credit (LoC) extended by the Government of India, stands as a flagship initiative and a vital component of Mongolia's sustainable energy strategy.
EAM Jaishankar is currently on a two-day official visit to Mongolia, where he held talks with his Mongolian counterpart Battsetseg Batmunkh and also called on President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh.
During their meeting on Monday, EAM Jaishankar and Battsetseg Batmunkh reviewed the progress in India-Mongolia cooperation in several key sectors. 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.
EAM Jaishankar called on President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa and conveyed greetings of President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Honoured to call on President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa of Mongolia. Conveyed heartfelt greetings of President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. President Ukhnaa's visit last year imparted a strong momentum to our Strategic Partnership. Value his guidance on advancing our strong cooperation in a wide range of sectors. Fully agree with him that the greatest friendship is spiritual friendship," EAM Jaishankar posted on X.
EAM Jaishankar met the Speaker of the State Great Khural, Dashzegve Amarbayasgalan and welcomed his support for India-Mongolia parliamentary exchanges and friendship. During the meeting, EAM Jaishankar reiterated support to deepening our people-centric development partnership between two nations.
He also met Mongolia's Minister of Education L Enkh-Amgalan and former President Nambaryn Enkhbayar.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting to see India's diplomatic outreach to Mongolia. The focus on mining and energy makes sense given Mongolia's resources. Jaishankar always seems to be working hard on these partnerships.
The Mongol Refinery Project is a huge deal—$1.7 billion LoC shows India's serious about supporting Mongolia's energy self-sufficiency. But we must ensure the project stays on schedule and costs don't escalate. Also great to see the cultural side with Gandan Monastery digitisation. Spiritual diplomacy at its best! 🇮🇳🤝🇲🇳
Jaishankar is really pushing India's 'Act East' and 'Neighbourhood First' policies even further—Mongolia may be far, but they're a key 'third neighbour'. The emphasis on human resources and capacity building is crucial, as it creates long-term people-to-people ties. Hope this visit leads to more student exchanges and tech partnerships.
Impressive to see the scale of India's development assistance in Mongolia—from digitising ancient manuscripts to building a major refinery. This seems like a balanced partnership that respects Mongolia's sovereignty while delivering tangible benefits.
Honestly, while this diplomatic visit sounds great, I hope the agreements actually translate into benefits for ordinary Mongolians and Indians—not just government-to-government deals. But the spiritual connection via Buddhism is a genuine bond that can't be faked. Nice to see India's soft power in action. 🙏
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