Syllabus: 

GS-2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests 

Context: Recently, India and Mongolia inked ten MoUs following bilateral and delegation level in New Delhi.

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• 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.

Sources:
Indian Express
News On Air
DD News