Mongolia PM, top brass visit India-constructed Oil Refinery Project construction site
Dornogoyi, August 12
Mongolian Prime Minister N Uchral, along with several key ministers, paid a visit to the strategic Oil Refinery Project Construction site being facilitated by India and lauded Indian engineers and workers involved. The Prime Minister assured that Mongolia would take all measures to ensure swift completion of the project.
The details of the visit were shared by the Embassy of India in Mongolia.
In a post on X, it said that N Uchral, Prime Minister of Mongolia, accompanied by B Delgersaikhan, Minister of Road and Transport; Z Mendsaikhan, Minister of Finance; O Batjargal, Governor of Dornogovi Province; and senior officials of Mongolia, visited the site on Monday.
They were welcomed by Ambassador of India to Mongolia, Atul Malhari Gotsurve and Dr D Altantsetseg, CEO, Mongol Refinery.
The Embassy noted that during the visit, Prime Minister Uchral thanked the Government of India for facilitating the construction of the strategic Oil Refinery Project in Mongolia.
He appreciated the contribution of the 3,700 Indian workforce comprising engineers and workers, who are working at the Project site.
He stated that Mongolia will take all the necessary measures to complete the Refinery construction at the earliest.
He also announced to give the status of Technological Industrial Park to the Oil Refinery Project.
"Till date, 60% of the construction is completed. The EPC-I (work package I) of the Refinery was commissioned with the active intervention of HE Mr Uchral who was then the Chief of the Cabinet in November 2024. The construction of EPC-II, III & IV is progressing well," the Embassy informed.
The development follows as India continues to deepen its partnership across its extended neighbourhood in Central Asia.
Earlier in June, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also paid a two-day visit to the country from June 22-23 and visited the Mongol Refinery Project. He reviewed the progress of work as he interacted with the Indian and Mongolian workforce at the project site.
During his visit, Jaishankar also called on Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa and reflected on the momentum established during President Ukhnaa's visit to India last year.
In his comprehensive bilateral talks with his Mongolian counterpart, Battsetseg Batmunkh, the discussions had 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.
— ANI
Reader Comments
60% construction already done! And they gave it 'Technological Industrial Park' status too. This is what meaningful international cooperation looks like — not just MoUs and photo-ops. India is quietly expanding its footprint in the extended neighbourhood while the world is busy with noise. Well done, MEA!
This is a smart geopolitical move by India. Mongolia sits between Russia and China — having a strategic partner like India there is significant. But I hope the project stays on schedule. These timelines in harsh climates can be tricky. Still, kudos to the Indian workforce for their dedication.
Good to see India's 'Act East' policy now working alongside 'Connect Central Asia'. But let's not just pat ourselves on the back — we need to ensure the remaining 40% is delivered on time and within budget. The PM of Mongolia publicly appreciated our engineers; now we must maintain that trust. Anyway, brilliant work by the team on site! 👏
The fact that the Mongolian PM visited personally and lauded our engineers shows the respect India has earned. And Jaishankar's visit in June was equally important. This is the kind of project that builds long-term goodwill — not just for today but for generations. Proud of our people working in harsh conditions there. 🙏
Nice to see India helping a 'Third Neighbour' of China and Russia. But let's be honest — given the extreme winters in Mongolia, work will slow down significantly. I hope the Indian workers get proper amenities and fair wages. That said, 60% done is great progress. Let's keep the momentum!
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