India, Mongolia boost defense, Buddhist ties with relics, Sanskrit teacher plans

India, and Mongolia have planned to firm up defence ties, with Delhi sending a Defence attache to Ulaanbaatar, & launching a new capacity-building program for Mongolia's border security forces. Both countries already have an annual exercise, Nomadic Elephant, that started in 2006, and the last edition took place in May of this year. The Indian side also gives defence equipment to Mongolia and, in the past, has been offering cybersecurity training to their armed forces.

In a press statement, alongside Mongolia's President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, Indian PM Modi said, "our defence and security cooperation is steadily strengthening. We have launched several new initiatives, from training programs to the appointment of a Defense Attaché at the Embassy."

The visiting Mongolian President met with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, a break from protocol given that a visiting leader rarely meets the defence minister for a bilateral conversation. Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh gifted a Khiching Stone Buddha to Mongolia President.

Rajnath Singh has been to Mongolia in 2018, 2022 in various capacities, and also led the breaking ceremony of the Oil Refinery Project, the biggest foreign-assisted infrastructure project by India. India hopes the refinery will be completed by 2028. "It seems to be on track and we expect that by 2028, the refinery should be in operation. One of the main reasons why it is important for us to have this completed by 2028 is that the Mongolians attach a lot of importance to this project", P. Kumaran, Secretary (East), in MEA said.

The country, which is landlocked between Russia and China, sees India as its 3rd neighbour and a neighbour with which it has a spiritual connection. India remains a spiritual hub for Mongolian Buddhists. PM Modi announces that next year, India will be sending the holy relics of two great disciples of Lord Buddha - Sariputra and Maudgalyayana.

He also said that "we will send a Sanskrit teacher to Gandan Monastery to support in-depth study of Buddhist texts and continue the ancient tradition of knowledge" and will soon launch a "project to digitize one million ancient manuscripts". Gandan Monastery, officially Gandantegchinlen Monastery, is Mongolia's most significant Buddhist monastery, located in Ulaanbaatar. It serves as the spiritual and cultural heart of Mongolian Buddhism, preserving Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions linked to India.

The visit comes at a time when both countries are celebrating 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations and 10 years of strategic partnership. During the visit, Mongolia reiterated its support for India's permanent membership of the UN Security Council and also for India's candidature as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2028-29.