India, Mongolia relations: Important facts need to know about

A new chapter is set to start between India and Mongolia as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit country on May 17. PM Modi will reach Mongolia on second leg of his three nation tour on Sunday. He will be the first Indian prime minister to visit mineral rich nation. Even after sharing stronger ties no prime minister from India has ever visited Mongolia.

Below are the important facts need to know about India and Mongolia relation

• Mineral rich country Mongolia and India share centuries old cultural and historical relations.
• Diplomatic relations were reciprocated between India and Mongolia in on December 24, 1955.
• India was the first country outside the Socialist bloc to establish diplomatic relations with Mongolia.

• Cultural agreement between India and Mongolia was in 1961.
• India supported Mongolia in having UN and NAM memberships.
• 2015 marks the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Mongolia.
• India and Mongolia cooperate in the defence sector. There is India-Mongolia Joint Working Group for defence cooperation which meets annually.
• Joint India-Mongolia military exercise ‘Nomadic Elephant' is held every year.
• The first India-Mogolia joint military exercise was held in 2004.
• Government of India provides 40 scholarships per year to Mongolian nationals for pursuing higher studies in India.
• A large number of Indian literary work including Panchtantra, Ramayana, Shakuntala, Ritu Samhara, Kamasutra, Godaan, Gaban and Kati Patang have been published in Mongolian language.
• Hindi films are fairly popular in Mongolia. The serial Mahabharata, dubbed in Mongolian, has been telecast on Ulaanbaatar TV.
• According to Mongolian Immigration figures, Indian community in Mongolia is modest, numbering about two hundred.