India and Mongolia inked ten MoUs following
bilateral and delegation level in New Delhi. On this occasion, both the leaders
jointly released the commemorative stamps marking the 70th anniversary of India
and Mongolia’s bilateral relations.
Key MoUs signed
between India and Mongolia
¨
MoU on
Humanitarian Aid: This agreement enhances India’s commitment to assist Mongolia
in humanitarian relief and disaster management missions, emphasizing
cooperation in emergency response and post-disaster rehabilitation.
¨ MoU on Restoration of Heritage Site in
Mongolia: Under the cultural diplomacy framework, this MoU focuses on the
renovation of the historic Bogd Khan Palace, a symbol of Mongolian spiritual
and national heritage, with Indian technical and artistic collaboration.
¨ MoU on Cooperation in Immigration: A mutual
arrangement to streamline immigration processes and introduce free e-visas for
Mongolian citizens visiting India, promoting tourism, trade, and
people-to-people exchanges.
¨ MoU on Geology and Mineral Resources: This
MoU promotes collaborative exploration and mining of critical minerals and rare
earths, supporting both nations’ energy transition and strategic industrial
needs. India is also examining coking coal imports from Mongolia via logistical
routes through China or Russia.
¨ MoU on Promotion of Cooperatives: It
strengthens institutional cooperation in developing rural cooperatives and
entrepreneurship, drawing from India’s Amul and dairy cooperative models to
help Mongolia diversify its economy beyond mining.
¨ MoU on Sharing of Digital Solutions: This
agreement facilitates digital governance linkages, focusing on IT capacity
building, e-governance, and cybersecurity cooperation through initiatives such
as the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Centre of Excellence for IT in Ulaanbaatar.
¨ MoU on Yoga and Traditional Medicine: The
pact expands cultural cooperation through promotion of yoga, Ayurveda, and
wellness practices in Mongolia, reinforcing India’s soft power and holistic
health outreach.
¨ MoU on Cultural Exchange Programmes: This
aims to enhance artistic and educational exchanges, including the annual visits
of young Mongolian cultural ambassadors to India and the linking of Nalanda
University with Mongolia’s Gandan Monastery to promote Buddhist studies and
manuscript digitization.
¨ MoU between Ladakh and Arkhangai Province: A
decentralized cultural understanding pact between the Ladakh Autonomous Hill
Development Council and Mongolia’s Arkhangai Province, aimed at encouraging
exchanges in tourism, handicrafts, and Buddhist heritage.
¨
MoU on
Capacity Building and Border Security Training: This agreement formalizes
India’s commitment to train Mongolian border forces and assign a Defence
Attaché to Ulaanbaatar. It underscores a growing security partnership under the
wider Indo-Pacific framework
India – Mongolia
Bilateral Relations
¨
Economic
Relations: Bilateral trade between India and Mongolia has nearly doubled in
just one year, rising from USD 60 million in 2023 to USD 110 million in 2024.
¨ Military Relations: Exercise Nomadic Elephant
is a joint, annual military exercise between India and Mongolia that enhances
interoperability and counter-terrorism capabilities.
¨ Establishment of Diplomatic Relations:
Diplomatic relations between India and Mongolia were established on 24 December
1955.
¨
Strategic
Partnership: India and Mongolia declared their strategic partnership in 2015.
For India, it reinforces the Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific strategy, while
for Mongolia, it strengthens its outreach to India as a reliable third
neighbour beyond Russia and China.
