Jaishankar visits flagship India-Mongolia refinery project; reviews work status
Ulaanbaatar, June 23
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday visited the Mongol Refinery Project and reviewed the progress of work as he interacted with the Indian and Mongolian workforce at the project site.
Jaishankar visited the construction site of the Mongol Refinery Project with Mongolian Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh and Industry and Mining Minister Gongor Damdinnyam.
In a post on X, he highlighted how the landmark friendship project is making steady progress. He reviewed the status of works under implementation with the various teams involved.
"Interacted with the 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.
Earlier on Monday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday held a series of high-level interactions aimed at further expanding bilateral cooperation between India and Mongolia during his ongoing official visit.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said he met the Speaker of the State Great Khural, Sandag Byambatsogt, and welcomed his support for India-Mongolia parliamentary exchanges and friendship.
"A pleasure to meet Speaker of the State Great Khural Sandag Byambatsogt @BYAMBATSOGT_S today. Welcome his strong support for India - Mongolia parliamentary exchanges and friendship. Reiterated support to deepening our people - centric development partnership," he wrote in a post on X.
The EAM also interacted with Mongolia's Education Minister L Enkh-Amgalan and former President N Enkhbayar, describing the engagements as important for strengthening bilateral ties.
Jaishankar arrived in Mongolia on Monday as part of a four-day diplomatic tour covering Mongolia and the Republic of Korea, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural engagement with the region.
Upon his arrival in Ulaanbaatar, Jaishankar called on Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa. During the meeting, the EAM conveyed official greetings from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Reflecting on the momentum established during President Ukhnaa's visit to India last year, Jaishankar noted that the two leaders shared a common vision for the future of the 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," Jaishankar stated in a post on X.
Beyond the historical and spiritual bonds, Jaishankar held comprehensive bilateral talks with his Mongolian counterpart, Battsetseg Batmunkh. The discussions focused on transforming these cordial ties into tangible economic outcomes. Key areas identified for enhanced cooperation include a review of ongoing bilateral development projects, new opportunities in the mining sector, potential collaborations in clean energy and agricultural processing and sustained cooperation in education, security, and multilateral forums.
As part of his engagements, Jaishankar also visited the Gandan Monastery, where he met Khamba Nomun Khan Geshe Lharampa D Javzandorj, the Chief Abbot. He highlighted the monastery's role in promoting cultural and spiritual ties between the two countries.
Jaishankar arrived in Mongolia on Monday for a state visit from June 22 to 23. On arrival, he was welcomed by the State Secretary Munktushig Ilkhanajav.
Jaishankar's visit to Mongolia is part of a broader four-day tour that also includes South Korea. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), he will hold meetings with the leadership of both countries and discuss avenues for strengthening bilateral cooperation.
The External Affairs Minister has embarked on a four-day visit to Mongolia and the Republic of Korea on Monday.
According to an official release by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Jaishankar will be meeting with the Mongolian and Korean leaderships and holding discussions with his counterparts during his official visit from June 22 to 25.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Spiritual friendship with Mongolia? That's beautiful! Our Buddhist connections run deep. But I hope we're also focusing on tangible outcomes - trade, energy, and education. Need more substance in these partnerships, not just photo ops.
This is what proactive diplomacy looks like! While others focus on conflicts, India is quietly building partnerships across the globe. Mongolia is a key player in our Act East policy. Kudos to EAM Jaishankar for the dedication! 👏
I'm glad to see India investing in infrastructure abroad, but we need to ensure these projects are cost-effective and completed on time. The refinery project has been delayed before. Hope the review brings accountability.
As someone working in international development, I really appreciate India's approach to partnering with Mongolia. It's not just about extracting resources - there's genuine cultural exchange and capacity building happening here. Very impressive!
Interesting move by India. Mongolia is strategically located between Russia and China, so building ties here makes sense. The refinery will give Mongolia energy independence and India gets a reliable partner. Smart diplomacy indeed!
Chalta hai attitude nahi chalega yahan! We need to ensure our workforce in Mongolia gets proper facilities and timely payments. Jaishankar ji
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