MEETING WITH RAM NATH KOVIND, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDIA
President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the Republic of India today.
Afterwards, President Battulga met Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, and Ram Nath Kovind, President of the Republic of India, in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Ram Nath Kovind: I am sure the Oil Refinery will serve as a symbol of bilateral cooperation
During his meeting with President Ram Nath Kovind, President Battulga expressed his absolute delight in paying a state visit, at the invitation of the former, to the Republic of India, a spiritual neighbor of Mongolia, and extended his gratitude to the Indian friends. President Ram Nath Kovind wished President Battulga a pleasant stay in India and expressed his confidence that the latter’s visit would make contribution to the close relations between the two countries.
Mongolia and India established diplomatic relations on December 24, 1955, and the heads of state noted with mutual agreement that the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations, which will fall next year, should be celebrated in a ceremonial and productive manner.
Moreover, the sides discussed the possibility of cooperating in areas related to Buddhism, as the two countries share Buddhist heritage and close bonds despite of geographic location, especially in terms of rendering every possible support to the digitization and wide publicization of ancient scriptures kept in the Gandantegchenling Monastery, the center of Mongolian Buddhism.
Aside from religious exchange, the sides agreed on the viability of bilateral cooperation in spheres that are growingly becoming economically beneficial such as space science, digitalization, and cyber security, and broadening the existing ties.
Furthermore, President Ram Nath Kovind expressed his confidence that the oil refinery construction will be completed on time and become a symbol of bilateral cooperation.
President Battulga: Apart from oil, we can also develop cooperation in freight and passenger transport
During his call on President Battulga, Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Venkaiah Naidu also discussed the Oil Refinery Project in detail.
During the meeting, President Battulga said that he had reached understanding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter of building rail lines rather than pipelines and expressed his view that the construction of rail lines would be more fruitful as it would not be limited by oil and enable freight and passenger transport services. President Battulga called for the Vice President and the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, to support Mongolia’s proposal and work together.
The sides exchanged elaborate views on the ways to intensify bilateral educational, cultural, and humanitarian ties as well as in other fields.
