India and Mongolia on Tuesday reaffirmed their strategic partnership and announced a series of initiatives to strengthen cooperation in areas ranging from defence, energy, and digital infrastructure to cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
Welcoming Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh to India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the visit holds special significance as it marks 70 years of diplomatic relations and a decade of strategic partnership between the two nations.
To commemorate the occasion, the two leaders jointly released a postal stamp symbolising the shared civilisational and cultural ties between India and Mongolia.
“Our relationship is more than a diplomatic engagement—it is a deep, soulful and spiritual bond,” the Prime Minister said during a joint press statement. He recalled that it was during his visit to Mongolia in 2015 that bilateral relations were elevated to a Strategic Partnership.
The two leaders began the day with a tree plantation ceremony under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign. President Khurelsukh planted a banyan tree in memory of his late mother, which PM Modi described as a symbol of enduring friendship and environmental commitment.
In defence cooperation, India announced a new capacity-building programme for Mongolia’s border security forces and the appointment of a Defence Attaché in its embassy in Ulaanbaatar. Joint training initiatives were also highlighted.
PM Modi said both countries share a common vision for a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based Indo-Pacific and reiterated their close cooperation in international forums, especially in championing the concerns of the Global South.
Cultural and spiritual ties formed a key component of the talks. The two leaders announced that India will send the holy relics of Lord Buddha’s disciples, Sariputra and Maudgalyayana, to Mongolia next year. A Sanskrit teacher will also be sent to the Gandan Monastery to facilitate deeper studies in Buddhist philosophy.
India will assist in digitising one million ancient manuscripts, and Nalanda University will strengthen academic linkages with the Gandan Monastery, reaffirming a historic scholarly connection.
Further deepening local-level exchanges, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council and Mongolia’s Arkhangai Province.
To boost mobility and cultural exchanges, India will now offer free e-visas to Mongolian citizens and sponsor annual visits of young cultural ambassadors from Mongolia.
The Prime Minister also reviewed the progress of India’s largest overseas development partnership — the Oil Refinery Project in Mongolia, backed by a $1.7 billion Indian line of credit. Over 2,500 Indian professionals are working alongside Mongolian counterparts on the project, aimed at strengthening the host country’s energy security.
PM Modi said India will continue to support capacity building in Mongolia, citing initiatives like the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Centre of Excellence for IT and the India-Mongolia Friendship School.
New projects aimed at enhancing livelihoods and skills in Mongolia were also announced, and private sector collaborations are being explored in areas such as critical minerals, energy, digital technologies, agriculture, dairy, mining, and cooperatives.
“Our relations are built on a solid foundation of trust and friendship between two ancient civilizations,” the Prime Minister said. “Together, we will take this strategic partnership to new heights.”