India deepens strategic ties with Mongolia through oil, defence, etc. | Fusion - WeRIndia

India and Mongolia on Tuesday elevated their decade-old strategic partnership with a wide-ranging bilateral engagement in New Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa at Hyderabad House.

During the meeting, they signed 10 important agreements.

These covered areas include defence, culture, energy, minerals, education, and technology.

Major Announcements and Agreements

• Oil Refinery Project: India reaffirmed its commitment to fund Mongolia’s first oil refinery through a $1.7 billion line of credit, making it India’s largest development partnership globally. Over 2,500 Indian professionals are engaged in the project, aimed at boosting Mongolia’s energy security.
• Defence Cooperation: India will train the Mongolian armed forces. It will also send a Defence Attaché to Mongolia. A new programme will be started to support Mongolia’s border security forces. These steps show a stronger strategic partnership between the two countries.
• Visa & People-to-People Ties: India announced free e-visas for Mongolian citizens. Cultural ties were expanded with an MoU between the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Council and Arkhangai Province.
• Education & Buddhism: India will send a Sanskrit teacher to Mongolia’s Gandan Monastery, digitise one million ancient Buddhist manuscripts, and send relics of Sariputra and Maudgalyayana in 2026. Nalanda University will be linked with Gandan Monastery to promote Buddhist studies.
• Youth & Skills: The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Centre of Excellence for IT and the India-Mongolia Friendship School are empowering Mongolia’s youth, Modi said.

India is exploring critical minerals, rare earths, energy, and digital mining in Mongolia.

However, challenges remain in coal trade logistics, given Mongolia’s landlocked geography.

MEA’s P Kumaran noted talks are ongoing with Russia and China to transport Mongolian coking coal via the Trans-Siberian Railway to Vladivostok, a costlier but feasible route.

Calling the nations “spiritual siblings” rooted in Buddhism, PM Modi highlighted shared values in promoting a free, open Indo-Pacific and amplifying the Global South’s voice.

President Khurelsukh praised India’s leadership in clean energy, especially through the International Solar Alliance, and planted a banyan tree under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” initiative.

The visit marked a significant upgrade in India-Mongolia relations, blending geopolitics, development, and shared heritage.

With strategic investments, defence partnerships, and cultural diplomacy, both nations aim to navigate future challenges together.

Image Credit: Bettyreategui, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Region_of_Mongolia.png