India, Mongolia to intensify bilateral defence and security cooperation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Mongolian counterpart Chimed Saikhanbileg on Sunday agreed to continue to work towards further intensifying bilateral defence and security cooperation through exchanges of high and mid-level visits between the two countries.

They also called for regular consultations and dialogue between the Ministry of Defence for both countries and other relevant organisations, including the National Security Councils, military personnel exchanges, capacity building, technical cooperation, specialized vocational training, joint exercises in Special Forces and information security, collaboration in UN as well as to other international peacekeeping operations.

The two Prime Ministers welcomed the cooperation between the border security guards of both the countries. Mutual sharing of the experiences between Mongolian and Indian border forces will further strengthen the bilateral defence and security cooperation.

Mongolia and India have been cooperating with each other in the area of cyber security domain. Mongolian Prime Minister expressed his appreciation to India's support to set up a cyber security centre in Mongolia.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi dubbed his visit to Ulaanbaatar as a 'significant milestone' after India and Mongolia signed over 14 agreements to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.

The Prime Minister also visited the Gandantegchinlen monastery in the city, where he interacted with the Hamba Lama and gifted him a sapling of a Bodhi tree.

This was followed by a ceremonial welcome that was accorded to him at the Mongolian State Palace at the Chinggis Khaan Square, where he also signed the guestbook.

Prime Minister Modi, who arrived in Ulaanbaatar on Saturday night, is the first Indian prime minister to visit Mongolia.