NEW DELHI: On the completion of 67 years of relations between India and Mongolia, Ganbold Dambajav, Mongolia’s Ambassador to India, stressed upon spiritual links between the two countries.
“Buddhism has played an important role in developing relations, primarily spiritual bonds between the two nations,” he said in a message on the occasion. “Such spiritual links and relations have assumed special meaning and significance in the modern times,” he added.
The diplomatic relations between India and Mongolia were established on December 24, 1955. India was the first country, outside the Socialist bloc, to establish diplomatic relations with Mongolia. India had also supported Mongolia in getting the UN and NAM memberships.
Located in the remote region of Inner Asia, Mongolia of today remains the last frontier where Indic cultural imprints remain strong. In addition, not only Mongolia’s strategic position at the cross-junction of Central Asia, Northeast Asia, Far East, China and Russia, but also mining boom in uranium, gold, coal and copper attract major powers towards it.
In recent times, India-Mongolia relations have been seen as an extension of India’s broader neighbourhood policy. Both India and Mongolia share dynamic political and cultural relations and in a more extensive regional system, Mongolia is fundamental to India’s ‘Look East’ and now ‘Act East’ Policy.
India considers Mongolia as a country having shared strategic interests and hence, it could play a positive role in regional affairs of Northeast Asia. In particular, Mongolia’s role could be important for the success of India’s ‘Act East’ policy in Northeast Asia. Close cooperation between India and Mongolia at regional security organisations appears to be providing each other a sense of bonhomie in building confidence and mutual understanding on interregional cooperation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mongolia in 2015, the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister, is a testimony to the fact that India is willing to provide determined support to Mongolia for its development.
