‘Spirituality binds India, Mongolia’: PM Modi announces steps to boost ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said India and Mongolia were bound not just by diplomacy but by “personal and spiritual ties,” as he announced a series of initiatives to strengthen bilateral relations.

Welcoming Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, who is on a state visit to India after six years, Modi described the occasion as “special,” coinciding with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the India-Mongolia Strategic Partnership.

President Khurelsukh’s visit marks a renewed momentum in India-Mongolia ties, combining strategic cooperation with deep spiritual and cultural resonance.

“To mark this occasion, we have issued a joint postal stamp symbolising our shared heritage, diversity, and deep civilisational ties,” Modi said during a joint presser following bilateral talks in New Delhi.

The meeting began with a symbolic gesture — the Mongolian President planting a banyan tree in memory of his late mother. Modi said the tree would “remain a symbol of our deep friendship and our shared commitment to the environment for generations to come".

Modi said the two sides had agreed to expand defence and security cooperation through new training programmes and the appointment of a defence attaché at India’s Embassy in Ulaanbaatar. India would also launch a capacity-building programme for Mongolia’s border security forces.

India-funded refinery to begin ops by 2028

India’s largest overseas development project — $1.7 billion Mongol oil refinery, funded through a line of credit from New Delhi — is expected to be completed and operational by 2028, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday.

He underscored that India was a “steadfast and reliable partner” in Mongolia’s development, highlighting the $1.7 billion Indian line of credit for building an oil refinery — the largest development partnership project undertaken by India anywhere in the world. “More than 2,500 Indians are working alongside their Mongolian counterparts to make this project a reality,” he added.

Emphasising the civilisational connection rooted in Buddhism, the PM announced that next year, India would send the holy relics of Lord Buddha’s two great disciples — Sariputra and Maudgalyayana — to Mongolia.

He also announced that a Sanskrit teacher would be deputed to the Gandan Monastery in Ulaanbaatar to advance research in Buddhist texts, alongside a new project to digitise one million ancient manuscripts.

In a major educational initiative, Nalanda University and Mongolia’s Gandan Monastery will be linked to promote academic and cultural exchanges.

Modi also welcomed the signing of an MoU between the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council and Mongolia’s Arkhangai Province, calling it a step that would “inject new energy into our cultural ties”.

Highlighting efforts to deepen people-to-people relations, Modi announced that India would offer free e-visas to Mongolian citizens and sponsor annual visits by young cultural ambassadors from Mongolia.

“While our borders may not be shared, India has always viewed Mongolia as a neighbour,” the PM said.

Modi noted that India and Mongolia shared common perspectives on global challenges and worked closely in international forums. “Both countries support a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific and work together to empower the voices of the Global South,” he said.