President of India, Droupadi Murmu, on Tuesday hosted Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, President of Mongolia, at Rashtrapati Bhavan. A banquet was also held in honour of the visiting dignitary as part of his official visit, which marks the 70th anniversary of India-Mongolia diplomatic relations.
Welcoming President Khurelsukh and his delegation, President Murmu highlighted the shared cultural heritage and democratic values that form the foundation of India-Mongolia relations. She referred to Mongolia as a ‘Strategic Partner’, ‘Third Neighbour’, and ‘Spiritual Neighbour’ of India. Noting the significance of the visit, she said several decisions have been taken to further strengthen cultural and development cooperation between the two countries.
Over the past 25 years, India has undertaken numerous cultural initiatives in Mongolia, including the restoration of Buddhist monasteries and the reprinting of ancient manuscripts. President Murmu emphasized that India remains a natural destination for Mongolian Buddhist monks pursuing spiritual education. She expressed confidence that the newly concluded MoU on cultural exchange programmes will provide a strong foundation for enhanced cultural collaboration.
The President also reiterated India’s commitment to development and capacity-building partnerships, ensuring the timely completion of ongoing projects that will serve as lasting symbols of India-Mongolia friendship. Both leaders agreed on the need to expand bilateral ties by adding contemporary areas of cooperation that benefit the peoples of both countries.
In a separate engagement, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called on President Khurelsukh in New Delhi. The two leaders underlined that both democracies share a common interest in regional peace and prosperity and expressed hope that their meeting would diversify the relationship into new areas of cooperation.
Defence cooperation was highlighted as a key pillar of the strategic partnership, with discussions covering joint working group meetings, military-to-military exchanges, high-level visits, capacity-building programs, training initiatives, and bilateral exercises. The visiting President thanked India for support in cybersecurity and capability enhancement of the Mongolian Armed Forces. He also recalled the ground-breaking ceremony of Mongolia’s Oil Refinery Project, conducted by Rajnath Singh during his tenure as Home Minister, and invited him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend its inauguration.
Singh also recalled the warmth shown by the Mongolian President during his visits to India in 2018 and 2022, emphasizing the strong and enduring bilateral ties between the two countries.
President Khurelsukh is on an official visit to India from October 13-16, 2025, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of India-Mongolia diplomatic relations.