External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a series of high-level interactions during his ongoing official visit to Mongolia, aimed at further expanding bilateral cooperation between the two nations. According to reports from Business Standard, Jaishankar met with Sandag Byambatsogt, Speaker of the State Great Khural, and welcomed his strong support for India-Mongolia parliamentary exchanges and friendship. The EAM also interacted with L Enkh-Amgalan, Mongolia's Education Minister, and former President N Enkhbayar, describing these engagements as important for strengthening bilateral ties. Mongolia's State Secretary Munktushig Ilkhanajav extended a warm welcome to the external affairs minister upon his arrival, with Jaishankar expressing his anticipation for fruitful engagements to advance their special partnership. Jaishankar emphasized the importance of spiritual friendship, stating that he fully agrees with President Ukhnaa that the greatest friendship is spiritual friendship, and that President Ukhnaa's visit last year imparted strong momentum to their Strategic Partnership. In a post on X, Jaishankar reiterated his support for deepening their people-centric development partnership and valued their support for advancing the Strategic Partnership.
Jaishankar held comprehensive bilateral talks with his Mongolian counterpart, Battsetseg Batmunkh, focusing on transforming cordial ties into tangible economic outcomes. As reported by Business Standard, the discussions covered review of ongoing bilateral development projects, new opportunities in the mining sector, potential collaborations in clean energy and agricultural processing, and sustained cooperation in education, security, and multilateral forums. The EAM noted that as a third neighbour and spiritual partner, India stands ready to advance its close and cordial ties with Mongolia. Jaishankar expressed delight at meeting the Mongolian foreign minister, stating that their discussions reflected the warmth, strength and promise of their Strategic Partnership. He reviewed the progress in cooperation across development projects, capacity building, culture, education, security and multilateral fora, with the talks also covering new opportunities in mining, clean energy and agri-processing sectors. Following the meeting, Jaishankar described the discussions as 'very warm, very productive, very open' and said both sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation while exploring initiatives for the next phase of India-Mongolia relations. According to ANI, the two ministers discussed new ideas and opportunities to advance their Strategic Partnership, with Jaishankar citing English language skills as an example of potential shared initiatives.
During his visit, Jaishankar also visited the Gandan Monastery, where he met Khamba Nomun Khan Geshe Lharampa D Javzandorj, the Chief Abbot. According to Business Standard, he highlighted the monastery's role in promoting cultural and spiritual ties between the two countries, stating that his blessings for deepening cultural ties and people-to-people goodwill are deeply cherished. The visit underscored the spiritual dimension of the India-Mongolia relationship beyond the historical and strategic bonds. Jaishankar emphasized the importance of spiritual friendship, stating that he fully agrees with President Ukhnaa that the greatest friendship is spiritual friendship, and that President Ukhnaa's visit last year imparted strong momentum to their Strategic Partnership. He values President Ukhnaa's guidance on advancing strong cooperation in a wide range of sectors. In a separate post on X, Jaishankar stated that he was 'glad to meet His Eminence Khamba Nomun Khan Geshe Lharampa D Javzandorj, Chief Abbot of Gandan Monastery, Mongolia' and noted that his blessings for deepening cultural ties and people-to-people goodwill are deeply cherished.
Jaishankar arrived in Mongolia on Monday for a state visit from June 22 to 23, as part of a broader four-day tour covering Mongolia and the Republic of Korea. As reported by Business Standard, upon his arrival in Ulaanbaatar, he called on Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa and conveyed official greetings from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit covers meetings in Mongolia, a call on its president, an outreach at a key monastery and the next round of engagements in South Korea. From Mongolia, Jaishankar will travel to the Republic of Korea on Wednesday for the final leg of his two-day visit, where he will hold discussions with his South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun and deliver the keynote speech at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity on Thursday. The Jeju Forum serves as a platform to discuss timely global issues, with leaders and experts from various fields participating. The minister's visit underscores India's commitment to strengthening ties with its Asian partners amid broader efforts to enhance regional cooperation and stability. According to ANI, the External Affairs Minister is currently on a four-day official visit to Mongolia and South Korea from June 22 to 25, with the visit aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural engagement with the region.
India and Mongolia have long described their relationship through the lenses of being 'Strategic Partners,' 'Spiritual Neighbours,' and 'Third Neighbours.' According to Business Standard, Jaishankar's visit underscores India's commitment to this framework, emphasising that the relationship is built on a foundation of mutual trust and a shared desire for regional stability and economic integration. The EAM noted that the two leaders shared a common vision for the future of the partnership, reflecting on the momentum established during President Ukhnaa's visit to India last year. Jaishankar valued President Ukhnaa's guidance on advancing strong cooperation in a wide range of sectors, with both leaders expressing confidence in the partnership's future trajectory. During his visit, Jaishankar also called on Mongolian President Khurelsukh and conveyed greetings from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In another post on X, the External Affairs Minister said President Khurelsukh's visit to India last year had imparted strong momentum to the Strategic Partnership, with Jaishankar noting that one of the key objectives of his visit was to review the implementation of decisions taken during the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Khurelsukh. Jaishankar thanked the Mongolian government for their hospitality and noted that India and Mongolia are not only Strategic Partners but also 'Spiritual siblings' bound by deep civilisational and spiritual links, shared democratic values and strong people-to-people ties. He recalled that the two countries celebrated the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations last year and highlighted the successful visit of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh to India in October 2025, which gave fresh momentum to bilateral ties.
